Entry fee for vessels to be changed at the Port of Ventspils in 2019
For the purpose of partial compensation for the costs caused by the inflation, the Board of the Freeport of Ventspils has decided to increase on average by 8% port fees and service fees at the Port of Ventspils. Even after the changes to become effective as of 1 January 2019, fees of the Port of Ventspils will still be the lowest on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, thus providing the most competitive conditions for the private companies for operation at the Port of Ventspils, the ports says in a press release.
The Freeport of Ventspils Authority collects port fees and service fees from the vessels entering the port to maintain and develop the port infrastructure – piers, shipping routes, loading areas, to provide safety of shipping traffic, as well as pilot, mooring and a number of other services. This is the main source of income to the Freeport of Ventspils Authority. In order to provide more competitive conditions for the private terminals operating at the port, the Board of the Freeport of Ventspils has consequently maintained position to provide the best quality at the lowest price. For long years, the best possible infrastructure is available to the terminals at the Freeport of Ventspils at the lowest price among the ports located on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea.
The current fees of the Port of Ventspils have been valid since 1 May 2008, and the only change was introduced in 2011, when tonnage fee for tankers was increased by 9%. Whereas, inflation has caused increase in costs by 12%, but increase in construction costs exceeds 18% since 2011. After the entry of the new fees into effect, entry fee for vessels at the Port of Ventspils will increase by approximately 8%, thus partially compensating inflation.
It is important for the companies operating at the port that even after increase the fees of the Port of Ventspils will remain the most beneficial ones, because, first, increase in the port charges is low, second, it will still be far behind the level of fees applicable at the nearest competing ports – Riga, Liepāja, Tallinn, Klaipēda and Sillamae, which will represent up to 40% over the level of fees in Ventspils.
In is essentially to note that the port fees of Ventspils contain a peculiarity, which is especially favourable to the private companies. Private companies (terminals and tugging service providers) will receive 30% per cent of even this lowest port fee, while in other ports this proportion is lower or absent at all.
