OREANDA-NEWS. April 22, 2009. During the first quarter 2009 6,48 million tons of cargo was handled in Klaipeda port. i.e. by 17,9 percent less (-1,4 million t) than during the same period 2008, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda port.

During January-March this year there decreased stevedoring volumes of all types of cargo (liquid, bulk and dry bulk).

The changes in the volumes of liquid cargo handling were predetermined by the decrease of oil products handling (during the first quarter 2009 2,33 mil t was handled, during the first quarter 2008 – 2,59 mil t, difference -254,03 thousand t) and liquid fertilizer turnover in the port (during the first quarter 2009 239,36 thousand t was handled, during the first quarter 2008 – 367,91 thousand t, difference –128,55 thousand t).

During January-March this year the growth in the turnover of bulk cargo was observed only in the volumes of agricultural products (+144,32 thousand t, 470,44 thousand t was handled, difference +44,3 percent), peat (+39,93 thousand t, 100,73 thousand t was handled, difference +65,7 percent) as well as minerals and building materials (+19,62 thousand t, 154,54 thousand t was handled, difference +14,5 percent). During the first quarter 2009there mostly decreased stevedoring volumes of bulk fertilizers (-425,04 thousand t, 1,15 mil t was handled, difference –26,9 percent), scrap metal (-83,49 thousand t, 50,78 thousand t, difference –62,2 percent), alloys (-77,61 thousand t, 58,11 thousand t was handled, difference –57,2 percent) and raw sugar (-62,43 thousand t, 83,52 thousand t was handled, difference –42,8 percent), comparing to January-March 2008.

Among the types of general cargo during the first quarter this year there mostly increased stevedoring volumes of packed fertilizers (+15,59 thousand t, 98,55 thousand t was handled, difference +18,8 percent). Container volumes (from the point of view of tonnage) there mostly decreased (-235,60 thousand t, 604,89 thousand t was handled, difference -28,0 percent), Ro-Ro cargo (from the point of view of tonnage) (-206,69 thousand t, 700,11 thousand t was handled, difference -22,8 percent) and timber (-123,17 thousand t, 88,38 thousand t was handled, difference –58,2 percent).

During the first quarter 2009 container TEU turnover was by  -27,0 percent less than during the same period 2008 (during the first quarter 2009 63 378 TEU was handled, difference –23 406 TEU). Ro-Ro units handling decreased by -26,0 percent (during the first quarter 2009 37 270 units were handled, difference – 13 073 units).

During the first quarter 2009 35,93 thousand passengers visited Klaipeda port, i.e. by  -14,5 percent less than during the same period 2008.
 
Cargo turnover in Butinge terminal during the first quarter 2009, comparing to the same period 2008 increased by +7,7 percent and made  2,10 million tons.

During the first quarter 2009 7,84 mil t of cargo was handled in Ventspils port (during the first quarter 2008 – 8,36 mil t was handled, difference -6,2 percent). during the first quarter this year stevedoring volumes of liquid cargo decreased in Ventspils port by -2,7 percent, 5,57 mil t was handled, bulk and dry bulk cargo decreased by  -8,4 percent, 1,93 mil t was handled, and  general cargo volumes decreased by  -34,6 percent,  344 thousand t was handled, comparing to the same period 2008.

According to the types of cargo the biggest growth during the first quarter 2009 was reached in handling coal +334 thousand t (during the first quarter 2009 1,51 mil t was handled, difference +28,4 percent) and crude oil +57 thousand t (during the first quarter 2009  436 thousand t was handled, difference +15,0 percent).

There still decrease stevedoring volumes of fertilizers -437 thousand t (during the first quarter 2009 134 thousand t was handled, difference -76,5 percent), ammonia -161 thousand t (during the first quarter 2009 191 thousand t was handled, difference -45,7 percent), Ro-Ro cargo -146 thousand t (during the first quarter 2009 204 thousand t was handled, difference -41,7 percent), grain -103 thousand t (during the first quarter 2009  111 thousand t was handled, difference -48,1 percent) and oil products -52 thousand t (during the first quarter 2009 4,91 mil t was handled, difference -1,0 percent).

The number of passengers in the neighbouring ports during the first quarter 2009 decreased by 1 621 passengers and reached 2 428, i.e. by -40,0 percent less than during the same period 2008. During the first quarter 2009 in Ventspils port there were served 525 ships (16 ships less than during the same period 2008).
 
In the integrated Tallinn port during the first quarter this year 7,59 mil t of cargo was handled (-6,7 percent difference, comparing to January-March 2008). According to the types of cargo, stevedoring volumes of bulk and dry bulk cargo decreased by  –47,1 percent or by  –509,5 thousand t, general cargo -25,9 percent or by –311,4 thousand t and the volumes of liquid cargo increased by +5,0 percent or by +289,4 thousand t. The biggest share in the total cargo structure of Tallinn port made liquid cargo (80,5 percent).

During the first quarter 2009 633 cargo ships called Tallinn port, i.e. by 70 ships more than during the same period 2008.

This year 1,37 mil passengers visited Tallinn port and during the first quarter 2008 there were 1,34 mil passengers (difference +2,5 percent).
 
During the first quarter 2009 7,46 mil t of cargo was handled in Riga port, i.e. by  +6,5 percent more, comparing to the same period 2008. Riga port turnover further on grows due to increasing stevedoring volumes of oil products (+46,1 percent), coal (+15,6 percent) and bulk fertilizers  (+12,8 percent).

Bulk and dry bulk cargo turnover during the first quarter 2009 made 4,87 mil t, i.e. by +239,3 thousand t more than during the same period 2008. Analyzing the types of bulk and dry bulk cargo, the biggest growth rates were reached in coal handling, during the first quarter 2009 3,80 mil t was handled or by  +15,6 percent more than during January-March 2008. Bulk fertilizer handling volumes made 532,6 thousand t or by +12,8 percent. Coal handling made 51,0 percent of the total turnover of Riga port.

Liquid cargo volumes in Latvian port during the first quarter 2009 increased by +45,8 percent and made 1,72 mil t. Oil products handling, which makes 99,3 percent of the total liquid cargo turnover increased by +46,1 percent and made  1,71 mil t.

Stevedoring volumes of general cargo during the first quarter 2009 decreased in Riga port and reached 965,3 thousand t (-27,1 percent, comparing to the first quarter 2008). According to the types of general cargo, containerized cargo made 416,6 thousand t  (-7,5 percent), and timber 293,7 thousand t (–47,2 percent).

During the first quarter 2009 77,7 thousand passengers visited Riga port and during the first quarter 2008 there were  62,4 thousand (difference +24,5 percent).