Since the establishment of Liepaja SEZ in 1997, LSEZ capital companies have invested in development - infrastructure, terminals, production buildings and modern technologies - 272.9 mln. EUR. In 2017, 50 contracts were concluded for a total amount of 31.6 million euros, but by January 1, 2018, companies had submitted applications and the board decided on 14 investment projects in the amount of 6.8 million euros. "DG Termināls" LSEZ Ltd., has invested about 1 million euros in modernization of liquid cargo terminal in the last year.
"DG Termināls" LSEZ Ltd., is a company that operates in the port of Liepaja on the Karosta Canal since 2000 and provides continuous operation of transshipment and storage of non-food goods shipped from the CIS, the Baltic States, the European Union and other regions. Over the last year, approximately one million euro has been invested in the modernization of the company, several new tanks have been installed. "The total storage volume does not change because before the modernization we dismantled the old, still -military reservoirs," said Janis Millers, Member of the Board at "DG Termināls" LSEZ Ltd .
Together with the new reservoirs for bio-oil storage, the terminal capable of storing about 75 thousand cubic meters of cargo. When started of the Ukrainian crisis in 2014, terminal lost half of cargo turnover, however, customers managed to keep up. Now the volume is recovered, and this year will definitely be better than the previous, when the company loaded 257.4 ths. t emphasize director and owner of the terminal, Aivars Millers, ''The most important thing is to understand and guess what services will grow in demand and be prepared for it. We work with several products and even if some product is stopped for some time, there are other products to work with. This, of course, requires both qualifications and investment, but we have been working for over 20 years and more, now it gives a return. ''
One of the reasons for modernization is the ability to attract new customers and new products. “It is our advantage that we are able to handle a variety of specific products as we continuously invest in modern reloading and storage technologies”: Janis Millers. Both bitumen and oil products, as well as rapeseed oil and molasses, are stored. Each of the goods necessary to maintain a different temperature and pressure control, moreover, it applies both to reservoirs and to pumping equipment. For example, bituminous temperature should be at least 150 degrees Celsius when immersed in a vessel. The turf needs to maintain a temperature of 60 degrees throughout the year. Therefore, the tracks and reservoirs are insulated and heated, processes are automated.
The terminal also has a natural gas boiler house and a certified laboratory that checks both the quality of the products accepted and outsourced. Particular attention is paid to environmental and occupational safety. Each process is automatically managed and controlled at several levels. A new oil product vapor collection system will be installed in the near future, which will allow the transshipment of products with less environmental impact.
The company employs 65 people who need higher qualifications and responsibility. The average salary is over 1200 euros, because the variation is low, emphasizes Janis Millers. In order for the company to succeed, it would be important to build another berth to handle more ships. As the land belongs to the Ministry of Defense, solutions for investing in the construction of the berth are currently being sought.