Throughput of Freeport of Riga to grow by 10% in 2008 – Latvia’s Transport Ministry representative

In 2008, throughput of Freeport of Riga is to grow by some 10% against 2007 when the port handled 25.9 million tonnes of cargo, PortNews IAA reporter cites Andris Maldups, chief of the transit policy department at Latvia’s Transport Ministry, as saying at the third international congress Oil Terminal 2008 held Thursday in St. Petersburg.

According to Mr. Maldups, coal is still the main part of throughput (over 10.5 million tonnes per year), oil products – less than 5 million tonnes, timber – some 2 million tonnes, as much as containerized cargo.

In 2007, throughput of Latvian ports amounted 62.4 million tonnes of different cargoes. Transit cargo accounted for over 80%.