Handling of exports / imports at the Latvian port of Ventspils in January-August 2013 totaled 20.7 million tonnes, which is 6% below last year’s eight-month figure, the Port Authority statistics showed.
Four out of ten terminals demonstrated in the reporting period an increase in cargo volume.
Eight-month cargo throughput at the terminals Ventbunkers and Ventall jumped by 51% and 99%, respectively. Cargo shipments through the terminal of JSC Ventspils Commercial Port totaled 3%. The Ventplac terminal operator increased cargo volume by 10%.
Oil product volumes at Ventspils Nafta Terminals fell 15%. Baltic Coal Terminal reported a 14% decline. Grain throughput at Ventspils Grain Terminal plunged 63%. Noord Natie Ventspils Terminals throughput dropped by 2%, of Ventamonjaks Service - by 6%.
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 2012, cargo traffic at the port rose 7% year-on-year to 30.4 million tonnes.