Throughput of Klaipeda port up 13% to 20.6 mln t in Jan-Aug 08
During January-August 2008, 26.64 million tons was handled in the port of Klaipeda. This figure is by +13.4 percent higher in relation to the same period of 2007.
The biggest growth during January-August 2008 was attained in handling raw sugar (+75.7 percent, turnover 237.9 thousand tons), ferroalloys (+47.9 percent, turnover 339.9 thousand tons), agricultural products (+45.9 percent, turnover 772.1 thousand tons), oil products (+24.9 percent, turnover 6.5 million tons), containers (in terms of tonnage) (+22.4 percent, turnover 2.4 million tons), bulk fertilizers (+20.4 percent, turnover 4.1 million tons) and bulk scrap metal (+19.0 percent, turnover 428.9 thousand tons) in comparison to the same period of the previous year.
Handling of container units (TEU) has grown by +19.6 percent (TEU), while the figure for ro-ro units slightly declined (-5.1 percent.).
Total number of incoming ferry passengers has slightly decreased by -3.0 percent in the eight months of this year and totalled 204.6 thousand.
Butinge Oil Terminal handled 6.06 million tons of crude oil in January – August 2008 (increase in turnover by 77.5 percent). Such growth was determined by significantly higher raw oil processing quantities by the company AB “Mazeikiu nafta” and increased oil product demand.
The cargo turnover in Klaipeda port in August 2008 totalled 2.40 million tons, i.e., the monthly turnover declined by 4.3 percent in comparison to August 2007.
Klaipeda State Seaport is the northernmost ice – free port on the Eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. It is the most important and the biggest Lithuanian transport hub, connecting sea, land and railway routes from East to West.
Klaipeda is a multipurpose, universal, deep – water port, providing high – quality services complying with the requirements of the European Union. 19 big stevedoring companies, ship - repair and ship – building yards operate within the port and all marine business and cargo handling services are being rendered.
The annual port cargo handling capacity is up to 40 million tons.
The shortest distances connect the port with the most important industrial regions of eastern hinterland (Russia, Byelorussia, the Ukraine and etc.). The main shipping lines to the ports of Western Europe, South-East Asia and the continent of America pass through Klaipeda port.