Cargo traffic at Lativa’s Free Port of Ventspils in January-July 2011 increased by 6% compared to the same period of last year, to 16.61 million tons, the Port Authority said.
Oil products volume in the reporting period rose 4 percent from a year earlier to 8.48 million tons, transshipment of coal soared by 52% to 3.47 million tons, shipment of fertilizers increased by 9% to 1.63 million tons, while volume of iron ore and grain cargo slumped by 37% (774 000 tons) and by 95% (27000 tons), respectively. Handling of timber dropped 15% to 315 000 tons.
Passenger traffic increased by 2.7 times to 27.770 people.
The number of ship calls was up 12% to 1112 units.
Latvia’s Free port of Ventspils is a deepwater ice-free port. The country’s premier port ranks among leading ports on the Baltic Sea and top 20 European ports. The port can accommodate Aframax size tankers of 130.000 DWT and Panamax vessels of 75.000 DWT. The port encompasses 2623,9 hectares with terminals for handling oil products, crude oil, liquid chemicals, mineral fertilizer, metals, forest products, coal, grain, juice concentrates, containers and Ro-Ro cargoes.