378 million euros – this is the amount expected from the European Union for development of the Port of Klaipeda: to develop the smart and environment-friendly port, to dredge it, and to handle cost-effective and sustainable navigation, the port says in its press release. The possibility to implement these plans will appear if the European Commission approves financing of the projects according to the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Klaipeda State Seaport Authority would assign the majority of funds to ensure bigger depth and for the projects that would help to improve the environmental quality, that would induce development of smart technologies in the seaport, and that would create conditions to build work places of high added value.
"In order to be able to receive and load fully the largest vessels that could enter the Baltic Sea, we need to dredge the port up to 17 m depth, and to reinforce the slope of the Curonian Spit before that. The adjustment of the infrastructure to the big-tonnage vessels would satisfy the needs of the navigation market to carry cargoes by larger vessels and would allow endeavouring at cheaper carriage costs because of economy of scale. Besides, it would increase competitiveness of the Lithuanian exporters – the possibilities would be created to carry the Lithuanian goods by large vessels and to save carriage costs. Less vessels would come because of their larger capacity, thus reducing the emissions from vessels. We also attempt to receive financing for the projects that would help to develop business of ship building and repairs necessary for the region’s economic vitality and to adjust facilities present in the port to make wind power plants. The principles of sustainable navigation are also receiving big attention; we hope to get money to modernize the fleet of the port’s authority and to purchase a dredger – new vessels would be driven by electricity or alternative, environment-friendly fuel. It is planned to create a modern pilotless hang-glider that would allow to con in the remote mode under extreme conditions. Besides, several digitization projects of the port’s management are also included into the plan", – said CEO of Klaipeda Port, Mr. Algis Latakas.
The European Commission is preparing the Recovery and Resilience Facility while implementing the tools of the European Union’s response to Covid-19 crisis. It is planned to finance the reforms and investments that would induce economic, social and territorial cohesion and that would increase resistance to the crisis. The focus is also made on the investments that would contribute to fighting the climatic changes and to digitization. The planned budget of this tool for Lithuania is 2.43 billion euro in the form of subsidies and 3 billion euros in the form of loans.