OREANDA-NEWS. June 11, 2010. Positive changes in the activities of transportation companies offering different types of transportation services remained evident in the period from January to May of 2010, as compared to the same period last year.

“Preliminary data shows a stable growth in the cargo flows transported by railway, sea and air transport in the period from January to May 2010. At the same time, Klaipeda State Seaport showed an increase in the scope of provided stevedoring services, and the number of passengers travelling by sea and air transport had been growing, too,” said Mr. Eligijus Masiulis, Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania.

According to preliminary data, during the first five months of 2010, some 19.6 million tons of cargo were transported by railway, which was 19.1 per cent more than during the same period last year.

The scope of stevedoring services provided by Klaipeda State Seaport and Butinge Oil Terminal grew by almost 10 per cent. In the period from January to May 2010, the scope of stevedoring services provided by Klaipeda State Seaport was by 15.8 per cent bigger than during the same period of 2009 and amounted to 12.5 million tons of cargo.  In addition, Klaipeda State Seaport saw an increase in the number of passengers served, which amounted to 87.5 thousand and accounted for an increase of 27.6 per cent as compared to the same period last year.

Throughout the five first months of 2010, the airports of Lithuania served 18.1 per cent more passengers as compared to the same period last year.  Kaunas International Airport witnessed an exceptional growth in the number of passengers served, which amounted to as much as 45.4 per cent. Air cargo and air mail transportation services grew by 26.7 per cent.

“We believe that the positive changes will last and that this year will be a much better year for companies from the transport sector than the year 2009,” said Mr. Eligijus Masiulis, Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania.