Cargo throughput at Latvia based port of Liepaja in January-October 2014 grew by 7.9% compared with the same period last year, to 4,28 million tonnes, the Liepaja Port Authority said.
Grain shipments through the port's bulk terminal soared by 46.1% and totaled 2,132,000 tonnes, handling of building materials increased by 19,6% to 445,700 tonnes, while timber cargo volume dropped by 19.9% to 365,100 tonnes.
Containers throughput for the ten-month period shrank by 18% and amounted to 3,093 TEUs. Handling of rolling cargo increased by 14% to 30,667 units. Passenger traffic fell 2% to 36,215 people. The number of ship calls rose 6% to 1,145 units.
Port of Liepaja was founded in the 90s of last century at the former Soviet Union’s naval base. Liepaja ranks third port of Latvia by handled cargo volume. Half of the port’s cargo throughput is fueled by crude oil and bulk cargoes imported from the CIS countries, largely from Belorussia. In 2013, Liepaja terminals handled 4.84 million tonnes of cargos.