The Ventspils port in north-western Latvia reloaded 10.5 million tons of cargo in the first four months of the year 2009, down by 245,000 tons or 2.4% from the same period in 2008, reported BC the port.
The port's spokeswoman Zanda Megne told BC that even though the cargo turnover in January-April 2009 had declined year-on-year, the actual four-month carg turnover was 477,000 tons above the target figure. In 2009 the port has planned to reload a total of 29 million tons or 2.4 million tons monthly.
Liquid cargos prevailed in the cargo turnover in the first four months of this year at 6.93 million tons, including 6.16 million tons of oil products and 454,000 tons crude oil. Bulk cargos were reloaded in the amount of 2.76 million tons, including 2.23 million tons of coal, and general cargos accounted for 455,000 tons of cargo turnover at the Ventspils port in January-April this year.
Coal handling grew most, rising by nearly 52% as compared to the first four months 2008, and reached 2.23 million tons. Wood chip handling increased 44.2% year-on-year to 137,000 tons in January-April this year, for timber the growth was 30.2% and for peat it was close to 27%.
Ferry lines operating out of Ventspils port carried 3,482 passengers, 1,413 passenger cars and 10,017 units of cargo with total weight of 266,400 tons in the first four months of 2009.
In 2008 the Ventspils port reloaded 28.57 million tons of cargo, down 7.9% from 2007, and ranked the second largest port in Latvia after the Riga port.
