Significant progress in Krievu Sala Project implementation
The Freeport of Riga says its Board has adopted a number of important decisions in relation to the further progress of the biggest infrastructure project in the history of the port - “The Krievu Sala Infrastructure Development for Relocation of the Port Operation from the City Center”, thus speeding up project objectives attainment and preventing any risk of financial corrections, initiated by the European Commission. The project Action plan has been updated as well as a long-term operation plan, besides, there is an agreement with the stevedores on building the necessary connecting infrastructure and coal dust detection wall on Krievu Island (Krievu Sala).
With the aim to ensure maximum throughput capacity and the most efficient use of the future Krievu Island terminal, it is planned to develop Krievu Island local plan, which will set out more detailed requirements for future terminal land use and development and provide a better definition of cargo types, transshipped by the terminal. The Riga City Council will develop local plan for Exportosta and its adjacent areas (as amendments to the Riga Land Use Plan 2006-2018), stipulating the cargo types, authorized for handling and storage in the northern part of the Eksportosta, the said cargo types do not include coal and dangerous goods. Development of both local plans is being supported by the Riga City Council's City Development Committee, and in the coming days both issues will be promoted for adoption by the Riga City Council.
“We actively proceed to implement the Krievu Sala project. In accordance with the objectives of the project and the Cohesion Fund funding for the coal handling operation relocation away from the city center, a modern world-class port infrastructure was put into operation at Krievu Island in compliance with the scheduled deadline - by 31 December 2015. Currently the last issues, related to coal handling technology transfer and the necessary support infrastructure provision, are being discussed with the stevedores, but today anyone can see, that the coal handling facilities are being gradually transferred to the new Krievu Island terminal. We are confident, that this process will take place as planned and by the end of 2018 the coal handling operations will be fully transferred to the Krievu Island terminal,” said Deputy CEO of the Freeport of Riga Martins Ziemanis.
The aim of the project “The Krievu Sala Infrastructure Development for Relocation of the Port Operation from the City Center” is to free the historical center of Riga from polluting cargo handling operations, transferring the port terminals to a more appropriate place - Krievu Island (Krievu Sala), while ensuring the competitiveness of the Riga port in the Baltic Sea region.
When starting work on the project with the stevedoring companies, operating at Exportosta - SIA “Strek” and SIA “Rīgas centrālais terminals” (SIA “RIGA COAL TERMINAL”), the Freeport of Riga Authority has concluded an agreement providing transfer of their activities - coal cargo handling operations – from the current location of their commercial activity at Eksportosta to Krievu Island.
On December 20, 2005 the Riga City Council adopted a Decision No. 749 “On the Riga Land Use Plan 2006 - 2018 Approval” by which it was determined that the cargo handling operations should be relocated from the city center, the historic center of Riga and its protection zone in the Freeport of Riga to the north, closer to the mouth of the River Daugava, falling into the Gulf of Riga.
The project has been implemented from 2010 till the end of 2015, when the project infrastructure was put into operation. In the framework of the project four deep-water berths with a total length of 1,180 m and a 249 meters long connecting berth were built. The depth at berths is 15.5 m, with the possibility to extend up to 17 meters. With the purpose to create new territory and in the process of access fairway dredging activities 2.7 million cubic meters of sand were dredged from the Daugava riverbed and due to reclamation the Krievu Island territory of 75 ha is currently 2.50 m above the sea level.
Access roads and streets (of 5.2 km) were built to access the terminal, as well as the rail network (of 11 km) and all the necessary engineering infrastructure and communications.
The planned terminal throughput capacity is from 15 to 20 million tons per year. The total project cost is 151.8 million euro. By thoughtfully implementing project activities, it was possible to achieve 10 million EUR savings.
In 2016 the Krievu Island terminal infrastructure project together with the relevant SJSC “Latvijas Dzelzceļš (Latvian Railway)” railway infrastructure project was nominated for the Riga Architecture Award 2016 and received the Riga City Chief Architect's Office special appreciation for the contribution to the quality of life of Riga residents by efficient development of Riga port and rail infrastructure.
The Freeport of Riga is the largest port in Latvia. In 2016 cargo turnover volume amounted to 37 million tons. The Freeport of Riga is a multi-functional port with a modern and secure infrastructure, where high quality services are provided by 194 private enterprises operating at the port, including 35 stevedoring companies (cargo handling terminals).
The Freeport of Riga Authority (FPRA) manages the port, and is responsible for the maintenance of the port infrastructure, for the port security, as well as for the port land and infrastructure leasing to private enterprises. The FPRA is the executive body that implements the Freeport of Riga Board decisions on port development. The FPRA is not engaged in commercial activities at the port. Its revenues consist of port dues, collected from the vessels, as well as of land and berth rent fees. The FPRA operates in compliance with the principles of non-profit organizations - its financial resources are spent only for the port management and development.