Review of cargo handling in Klaipeda seaport, at Butingės terminal and other eastern coast Baltic seaports in HI’14
The aggregate throughput of Klaipeda Port and at Butingės terminal in January – June of 2014 totalled 21,1 mln tn of seaborne cargo: 3,3 mln tn were handled at Butinges Terminal (the year-on-year change was -24,7 pct. or -1 085,5 thou. tn) and 17,8 mln tn were handled in Klaipeda Seaport (the year-on-year change was +2,9 pct. or +494,0 mln tn), Port of Klaipeda press center says.
The first half of the current year in Klaipeda Seaport was rather versatile estimating the results of the first halves within the period of 2005-2014. The aggregate throughput in Klaipeda Port and at Butingės terminal in January – June of 2014 totalled 21,1 mln tn (the third result within the aforementioned period). The cargo handling result of Klaipeda Seaport of the first half of 2014 occupied the second place in the rankings (17 756,7 thou. tn). The first half of 2011 was the record one – 18 412,2 thou. tn of cargo were handled in the Port.
The first half of 2014 was the record period for the most abundant cargo of the seaport – fertilizers with the throughput reaching 6 096,0 thou. tn (the best result throughout the entire history of the seaport reached within the period of 2005-2014). The previous record was set in 2011 – 5 848,3 thou. tn. of cargo. In January – June of 2014 the turnover of fertilizers (bulk and liquid) surged rather significantly: totally 6 096,0 thou. tn were handled (the yoy change was +28,66 pct. or +1 358,0 thou. tn comparing with the corresponding period of 2013).
The transhipment of oil products in January – June of 2014 was the lowest during the first halves of 2005-2014: 2 812,9 thou. tn were transhipped, less even by -32,6 pct. comparing with the first half of 2013. The previous anti- record was set in 2005 – 3 160,8 thou. tn.
It is worth noting the record result of containerised cargoes reached in the first half of 2014: 2 786,5 thou tn were handled (+24,6 pct. or +550,9 thou tn comparing with the first half of 2013). This result was the record result throughout the entire history of Klaipeda Seaport (the previous record was reached in 2013 – 2 235,6 thou. tn). Analysis of the handling rates of containerised cargoes in terms of units revealed that the first half of 2014 was record as well – 218 556 TEU were handled (the previous record was achieved in 2011 – 210 604 TEU).
In January – June of 2014 the turnover of dry and bulk cargo constituting 47 pct. of the overall cargo turnover of Klaipeda seaport increased rather rapidly: totally 8 365,1 thou. tn, i.e. more by +21,8 pct. or by +1 459,0 thou. tn than in January – June of 2013 were handled. This result was achieved basically due to increased even by 33,1 pct. throughput of bulk natural and chemical fertilizers : 5 158 thou. tn were handled (the yoy change was +1 368,2 thou. tn). The handling of ores also marked the rapid increase in the first half of 2014: 719,3 thou. tn were handled ( the yoy change was +143,3 pct. or +423,7 thou. tn). The handling rates of other categories of cargo making impact on the throughput in this cargo group dropped down: 1 134,3 thou. tn of agriculture products ( the yoy change was -11,5 pct. or -146,9 thou. tn) and 771,7 thou. tn of raw and processed minerals, construction materials (the yoy change was -19,3 pct.. or -184,3 thou. tn) were handled.
The turnover of liquid cargo cutting out 21 pct. of the overall cargo turnover of the seaport dropped down rather significantly in the first half of the current year comparing with the corresponding period of the last year : totally 3 697,2thou. tn were handled (the yoy change was -28,3 pct. or -1 362,1 thou. tn). Significantly contracted transhipment of oil products and liquid fertilizers made the greatest impact on the decreased handling rates of liquid cargo: 2 812,9 thou. tn of oil products (the yoy change was -32,6 pct. or -1 362,1 thou. tn) and 676,2 thou. tn of liquid fertilizers (the yoy change was -10,6 pct. or -80,3 thou. tn) were transhipped during the analysed period.
In January – June of 2014 the throughput of general cargoes constituting 32 pct. of the overall cargo turnover of the seaport increased by +8,7 pct. or by +456,1 thou. tn to 5 694,4 thou. tn. The throughput of packed fertilizers attributed to this cargo group increased even by +36,7 pct.: totally 261,3 thou. tn were handled( the yoy change was +70,1 thou. tn). In line the significant rise of containerised cargo volumes was recorded in the first half of 2014: totally 2 786,5 thou. tn were handled (the yoy change was +24,6 pct. or +550,9 thou. tn). Meanwhile transportation of Ro-Ro cargoes (2 196,0 thou. tn were handled, the yoy change was -5,7 pct. or -131,6 thou. tn) and the handling volumes of timber and forest products (213,8 thou. tn were handled, the yoy change was -16,0 pct. or -40,6 thou. tn) attributed to this cargo group and making impact of the overall turnover of the seaport significantly dropped down.
Altogether 3 303 vessels were reported to call Klaipeda Port and Butingės terminal in January – June of 2014. 33 vessels moored at Butingės terminal and Klaipeda Seaport received 3 270 vessels (less by -1,0 pct. or by -32 vessels comparing with the corresponding period of 2013 ).
The number of passengers within the analysed period was 112 963 passengers, i.e. less by -9,5 pct. or by -11 911 passengers comparing with the first half of 2013.
Cruise shipping. 24 cruise liners moored in Klaipeda Seaport during the first half of the year, i.e. more by +83,3 pct. or by +7 ships than during the first half of 2013. Consequently the number of cruise passengers increased: 50 686 passengers arrived to the seaport (more by +52,7 pct. or +17 490 passengers).