Cargo flows to the Baltic states have faltered with a year-on-year decrease in 2019 as traditional cargo flows changed, even so the cargo volumes were considered to have held up fairly well givent he current economic conditions.
In 2019, there were 62.4 million marine shipments handled by Latvian ports, according to Port of Riga with the total cargo volumes decreasing 5.7%. Considering that the traditional regional cargo flows tend to change and the volume of handled transit consignments has decreased in Latvia, this result is still considered to be reasonable. Moreover, the largest ports of Latvia handled 41% of the total cargo volume in the Baltic States (147 million tonnes).
Tālis Linkaits, the Minister for Transport, emphasised:
“Though recent events have put ports and the transit sector in the spotlight, I would like to underline that the situation is stable, which is demonstrated by the ability of the largest Latvian ports to restructure their consignment flows”
According to Linkaits Latvia has maintained its leading position within the Baltic States, and it intends to maintain that position this year. He added, “We are aware of the Russian policy concerning transit via the Baltic ports, and all ports of Latvia have to keep their focus on finding new customers.”
In 2019, the Freeport of Riga was still the largest port in Latvia and handled 53% of the total cargo volume shipped via Latvian ports. This amounts to 32.8 million tonnes, which is 10.1% or 3.7 million tonnes less than in 2018. At the same time, the Port of Riga has recently changed its cargo portfolio – the dwindling flows of fossil fuels are gradually being substituted with other flows.
The Freeport of Riga said 2019 was the first year in which the total volume of other cargo handled at the Port (it has increased by 3% annually since 2015) exceeded the total volume of fossil fuels; this was made possible due to a 35% increase in wood pellets and a further 33% increase cereals, as well as record results for wood chip consignments. Container cargo is still very important for the port with 15% of the total 2019 volume of 467,000 TEU handled at the port, which is roughly the same as the year before.
Ansis Zeltiņš, CEO of the Freeport of Riga, said:
“To improve the quality of port services and strengthen our market position, and according to the new Development programme, the Freeport of Riga Authority has started its first ever targeted programme for extensive renovation of its land and water infrastructure.”
This year the Freeport of Riga Authority intends to invest EUR 14.6 (US$16.09) million in the development of roads, bridges and overpasses, the reconstruction of its railway infrastructure, reconstruction of births and bank support structures, as well as other significant reconstruction activities, explained Zeltiņš.
In 2019, the Port of Ventspils handled 33% of the total volume of cargo shipped via Latvian ports. Since 2016, when the port had its lowest cargo turnover ever, it has managed to increase its throughput on an annual basis.
The port handled 20.46 million tonnes last year, a gain of 131,000 tonnes on the 2018 volume totals. Throughput of cereals increased the most, followed by coal, fertiliser and metal consignments. The invariable focus of port operators on diversification was one of the factors that contributed to the stability of turnover.
The share of crude oil and petroleum products that traditionally were handled at the port was only 46% of the total cargo turnover in 2019, while the share of ro-ro consignments, general cargo and bulk cargo increased.
Andris Purmalis, CEO of the Freeport of Ventspils, commnented:
“Currently, the Freeport of Ventspils faces many new challenges and opportunities. Terminals of the Port of Ventspils ended 2019 with a positive balance, but we have to ensure that our management platform allows port operators to be sure about the transparency of administration, and efficient and reasonable performance that gives an opportunity not only to maintain the current turnover, but also to develop further.”
