On Monday, July 6, the ferry MIDAS of the new cargo transshipment line Baltic Link arrived for the first time at the port of Riga, namely at the ferry berth of SIA “Man-Tess Tranzīts”. According to the port’s press release, this voyage is the start of regular cargo vehicle (Ro-ro) transportation between Riga and the port of Oxelosund in Sweden. From now on, the ferry will make three trips from Riga every week - on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The operator of the Baltic Link line is the Swedish shipping company Wagenborg Shipping Sweden AB, which is expanding its Ro-ro ferry line network in the Baltic Sea with the new Baltic Link line.
"Taking into account the peculiarities of competition in the field of ferry transportation as well as the location of the Port of Riga, the entry of another cargo ferry line into the port is very positive," said Mr. Viesturs Zeps, Chairman of the Board of the Freeport of Riga. “Latvian freight carriers can benefit from another competitive logistics route to the Nordic countries, while the range of services provided at the Port of Riga is expanding. It might be an excellent opportunity to attract new customers to the port of Riga and increase the volume of handled cargo. Thus, we are taking another step approaching the objective of the Port of Riga development - to become a modern and efficient logistics center, serving both the Baltic and Nordic countries,” added V. Zeps.
The port of Riga is a multifunctional port with a modern infrastructure, providing for various cargo handling as well as for accommodation of various types of vessels, including Ro-ro ferries. The port of Riga is located in the Gulf of Riga, which makes freight ferry transportation to European ports less competitive in terms of distance and cost, compared to ports located on the shores of the Baltic Sea. Nevertheless, this type of transportation is developing at the port of Riga, and Ro-ro cargo volumes are increasing. Until now, regular Ro-ro transportation from the port of Riga has been provided by Tallink line ferries, which carry both passengers and cargo.
The cargo ship MIDAS (length: 108.5 meters, beam: 17 meters) with a carrying capacity of 5873 GT sails under the Finnish flag. The line operator, Wagenborg Shipping Sweden AB, points out that as the volume of the transported cargo increases, the ferry MIDAS can be replaced by a larger, demand-compliant ferry.