In January-May, 2009 the port of Ventspils handled 12,46 million tons of cargo (12,75 million tons in January-May, 2008, change –2,3 %). During the first five months of this year, handling of liquid cargo in the port of Ventspils decreased by –3,6 % (8,71 million tons handled), handling of bulk and dry cargo decreased by –6,8 % (3,20 million tons handled), and general cargo decreased by –39,8 % (550 thousand tons handled) respectively, in comparison with January-May of 2008.
In terms of cargo nomenclature, the biggest growth in cargo handling in January-May, 2009 was recorded in oil products – by +726 thousand tons (7,9 million tons handled in January-May, 2009, change +10,2 %) and coal – by +580 thousand tons (2,56 million tons handled in January-May of 2009, change +29,3 %). Cargo handling figures continue decreasing for the following cargo types in the port of Ventspils: fertilizers by –690 thousand tons (214 thousand tons handled in January-May, 2009, change –76,3 %), ammonia by –254 thousand tons (317 thousand tons handled in January-May, 2009, change –44,5%), Ro-ro cargoes by –248 thousand tons (341 thousand tons handled in January-May, 2009., change –42,1%), raw oil –175 thousand tons (454 thousand tons handled in January-May, 2009, change –27,8%) and grain –160 thousand tons (130 thousand tons handled in January-May, 2009, change –55,2%).
The number of passengers in the neighbouring country in January-May, 2009 decreased by 2 791 passengers and amounted only to 4 771, i.e. by –36,9 % less than in January-May, 2008.
810 ships called at the port of Ventspils during the first five months of 2009 (by 96 ships less than in corresponding period of 2008).