Throughput of the port of Ventspils (Latvia) in January-October 2011 rose by 12.9% compared to the same period of 2010, to 23,570,000 tons, the Port Authority said.
Ten-month volume of bulk cargo increased by 18 percent to 8,920,000 tons, handling of general cargo surged by 28 percent to 2,140,000 tons.
Transshipments of liquid bulk rose 7 percent to 12,510,000 tons, including 12,090,000 tons – a 9 percent growth from a year earlier. Shipments of coal soared by 72 percent to 5,320,000 tons, handling of fertilizer grew by 9.7% to 2.2 million tons. The port reported for eight month a 47 percent surge in rolling cargo volume, to 580,000 tons.
In October, the port of Ventspils handled 2.36 million tons of cargoes, up 20.8% on last year's numbers. Monthly volume of liquid bulk cargo totaled 1.16 million tons, bulk cargo – 964,000 tons and general cargo – 228,000 tons.
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. In 2010, Ventspils cargo throughput fell year-over-year by 6.8 percent to 24 million tons.