Freight turnover on a rise at Latvian sea ports

Latvia’s Ministry of Transport reports that, based on compiled data, freight turnover at the country’s sea ports remained positive when compared with 2021. The total freight turnover in the past eleven months reached 43.5 million tonnes. This is a 15.3% increase when compared with the same period of 2021.

«Latvia’s sea port and railway freight turnover for eleven months of 2022 indicates that since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and implementation of sanctions against Russia and Belarus, the sector has successfully adapted to the current geopolitical situation,» says Minister of Transport Jānis Vitenbergs.

«We are searching for new opportunities, forming new alternative logistical chains for freight transportation, and more emphasis is put on attracting freight from new markets.»

In 11 months of 2022 freight turnover at the Freeport of Riga increased by 9.5%, reaching 21.2 million tonnes. Freight turnover at the Freeport of Ventspils increased by 32.3%, reaching 13.3 million tonnes. Freight turnover at the Freeport of Liepaja increased by 9.5%, reaching 7 million tonnes.

The total increase of freight turnover was affected by the rise in coals, containers, Ro-Ro freight, lumber and animal feed segments. Thanks to the fact that Latvia’s sea ports have appropriate infrastructure for coal storage and handling, it was possible to attract coal freight from new regions – Kazakhstan and African countries. Since August 2022 demand for coal from other markets has been in a rise in Europe, especially after countries of the region imposed sanctions on imports of coal from Russia.

Coal turnover at latvian sea ports reached 7.4 million tonnes in 11 months. Compared with 2021, it increased 6.9 times.

Container turnover at sea ports accounted for 4.4 million tonnes, which is an increase of 9.3%. Turnover of Ro-Ro freight reached 3.6 million, which is 11.4% more when compared with 2021. Turnover of lumber was 4.4 million, which is an increase of 8.8% when compared with eleven months of 2021. Turnover of animal feed freight was 5.7 million – which is an increase of 2.1 times.

Turnover of bulk freight increased. Turnover of coal freight increased by 29.8%. Turnover of general freight increased thanks to growing in container, Ro-Ro and lumber cargoes by 9%. The volume of liquid freight went down slightly this year.

Railway freight turnover in 11 months of 2022 showed positive trends. At the same time, due to the geopolitical situation, freight turnover increased only slightly. International freight transports increased by 2.7%, transit freight transports increased by 6.7%, whereas transit through sea ports in creased by 27.2% when compared with the same period of 2021.

Source: Baltic News Network (bnn-news.com). Publicity photo: Liepājas osta.