• 2021 March 12 11:47

    Lithuania’s Ministry of Transport and Communications reports on transport market results 2020

    The year 2020 was a challenging year for the transport sector. All communication was heavily constrained by the COVID-19 pandemic, also, part of the EU Mobility package provisions came into force. However, with the exception of the most severely impacted aviation and passenger transport sectors, changes in the communications sector may be seen as moderate with some results even exceeding expectations. The 2020 Transport Market Report prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Communications states that last year the transport sector saw the increase in freight transport, while the Seaport of Klaipėda reached its all-time load record.

    Despite the decrease in corporate activity turnover and generated added value, total number of the transport sector employees and companies remained stable. Freight transport shows some positive changes in this regard: on the basis of provisional data, the number of employees in this field increased by 4.6 percent and the companies by 3.5 percent within a year.

    Last year, compared to 2019, the export of transport services dropped by 4 percent. The main transport export markets remained the same with Germany, France, Russia, the Netherlands and Denmark among the largest. From January through September 2020, compared to the same period of 2019, the export of transport services to Germany and the Netherlands increased by 4.8 percent and 5.4 percent, accordingly, while the Lithuanian companies’ activity reduced by 12 percent in Russian and by 10 percent in Latvian markets. The export of services to the United Kingdom experienced the major decline due to Brexit and dropped by 27 percent.

    The report also notes that last year, compared to 2019, the total volume of cargo transported by all modes of transport increased by 2.3 percent. A 4.9 percent growth of which was recorded for road transport (105.7 million tonnes), and a 3.2 percent decline for railway (53.4 million tonnes). Loading in the Seaport of Klaipėda grew by 3.3 percent and reached a record-breaking level (47.8 million tonnes). 16 percent more cargo was transported through airports (19.9 thousand tonnes).

    The reason behind such growth in the Seaport of Klaipėda is bulk cargo loading with the highest increase in cereals (by 32 percent) and fertilisers (by 12.2 percent). There was a decrease in loading of metals (by 27 percent), oil products (by 21 percent) and containers (by 9.8 percent). As provisional data suggest, loading between the ports of the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea increased only in the ports of Klaipėda and Tallinn last year.

    It should be noted that last year, in the context of the Baltic States, Lithuanian Railways performed the most rail freight operations and experienced the smallest (3.2 percent) cargo loss, compared to Latvia and Estonia where rail freight decreased by 43 percent and 15 percent, accordingly. Lithuanian results were mostly supported by freight of cereals.

    The aviation sector experienced the worst recession due to COVID-19. Compared to 2019, passenger flows in Lithuanian airports dropped by 72 percent last year (from 6.5 million to 1.8 million). Vilnius airport serviced 1.31 million passengers (74 percent less), Kaunas airport – 0.37 million passengers (68 percent less), Palanga – 0.12 million passengers (63 percent less). The number of flights decreased by 52 percent, the number of flight destinations by 30 percent. The 16 percent growth of cargo loading in airports was facilitated by large volumes of medical aids transported to Lithuania by special flights.

    Due to the pandemic, passenger transportation by all modes of transport in 2020 decreased in total by 36.8 percent. Compared to 2019, 39.4 percent less passengers travelled by trains (3.3 million), and 26.3 percent less by sea transport (0.3 million). 37.7 percent less passengers travelled by road transport (232.5 million), of which, 42.8 percent less by trolleybuses and 36.2 percent less by buses. However, the exception to this, inland waterway transport saw the increase in passenger numbers by more than double, i.e. 134.5 percent (5 million passengers) which was mainly the result of more frequent ferry trips between Klaipėda and the Curonian Spit.


2024 March 29

10:43 Oasis Marine develops solutions for offshore hydrogen bunkering
10:03 Petrofac secures contract extension with ONEgas West in the UK market

2024 March 28

18:05 Jan De Nul, ENGIE and Equans launch a pilot project centred around the use of Vanadium Redox Flow batteries
17:35 Latvian port equipment manufacturer Bleste introduces new bulk handling ‘bucket’
17:05 Investors upgrade Navios Maritime Partners
16:25 DEME reports 22% increase in the orderbook and a record-high turnover of 3.3 billion euros in 2023
16:14 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 13, 2024
15:41 AD Ports Group announced the opening of Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina
15:11 Sydney invests $11.5 million in two new operational vessels designed by Incat Crowther
14:55 China’s Jinzhao wins Peru $405m port construction contract
14:13 APM Terminals Moín handled six million TEU
13:48 ClassNK grants Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two innovative initiatives by MOL
13:37 Konecranes launches its flagship Konecranes X-series industrial crane
12:53 United European Car Carriers UECC spearheads collaboration with industry leaders to advance CNSL as a sustainable marine fuel
12:26 Ocean Network Express announces Transpacific service
11:48 Yang Ming announces 2025 Trans-Pacific service network
11:24 Fincantieri signs contract for the supply of two PPAs to Indonesia
10:42 Maersk transported more than 660,000 TEU using clean fuel in 2023
10:23 Documentation delays push industry costs to $3bn
09:48 PONANT and FARWIND Energy partner to develop green hydrogen refueling solutions

2024 March 27

18:22 Bureau Veritas awards world’s first prototype certification for SolarDuck’s floating offshore solar solution
17:58 The recently converted Allseas's shallow water pipelay barge starts preparations for its first commercial project
17:38 The Port of Rotterdam calls on the European Commission and Parliament to focus on actively promoting green energy
15:23 SEFE to become sole shareholder of WIGA
14:53 Ocean Installer secures yet another SLM contract with Equinor
14:23 Cadeler signs offshore wind turbine installation contract for the vessel Wind Scylla
13:42 Carnival Cruise Line orders 5th Excel-class cruise ship
13:11 Maersk and MSC overcharging cargo owners for EU ETS, says T&E
12:52 The Port Authority of Valencia launches the ZAL project in the Port of Valencia
12:11 Clarkson Port Services and Peak Group collaborate to deliver Port Agency services across the North Sea
11:42 Wan Hai Lines holds ship naming ceremony for new vessels
11:24 Consolidated shipping lines EBIT loss was $1.44 billion in Q4 2023: Sea-Intelligence
10:49 Seaspan Shipyards receives long-term contracts for the pre-construction work of the the Canadian Coast Guard's first six multi-mission vessels
10:14 Woodside completes sale of 10% scarborough interest

2024 March 26

18:02 COSCO Shipping Lines introduces new Americas service
17:30 Davie awarded first contract for design of icebreaker fleet under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy
17:04 Sanctions complicate Arctic LNG ship sales, Hanwha Ocean says - Bloomberg
16:57 Terntank places an order for 1+1 additional wind/ methanol-ready hybrid tanker
16:28 BW LNG completes acquisition of two TFDE vessels from Stena Bulk
15:50 Hanwha Ocean develops VR-based special vehicle simulator
15:20 TotalEnergies and SINOPEC join forces to produce sustainable jet fuel at a SINOPEC's refinery
14:52 Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement to guarantee operational reliability of new wind farm installation vessel
14:23 Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers
13:51 Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge
13:12 Final sanctioned tanker with Russian Sokol oil to reach China port - Reuters
12:42 Adani Ports acquires 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port from SP Group for $162 million
12:21 IHI and Yara Clean Ammonia agree to jointly assess clean ammonia business collaboration
11:41 Yara Clean Ammonia and Azane granted safety permit to build world's first low emission ammonia bunkering terminal
11:16 Wartsila and Royal Caribbean Group celebrate 15 years of collaboration on digital transformation
10:46 A global carbon tax on shipping is coming, says ABS Chairman and CEO
10:21 Eni, Fincantieri and RINA establish partnership for maritime transport decarbonization

2024 March 25

18:07 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore continues to investigate reports of oil spills off the port of Tuas
17:31 “K” Line, NIPPON HAKUYO and OPT Gate sign an agreement for a new fire detection system for car carriers
17:07 Greek merchant fleet recorded slight decline in January 2024
16:47 Hanwha Ocean Plans to develop green technology and naval ships
16:25 U-Ming Singapore and ITOCHU sign milestone MoU for the joint development of ammonia dual-fuel and de-carbonized vessels
15:34 Svitzer targets methanol-fuelled MAN 175DF-M engine for tug application
15:04 Wallenius Wilhelmsen signs contracts for four 9,300 CEU vessels with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard
14:40 Taiwan International Port to upgrade terminal facility at Kaohsiung
13:59 Сruise ship Carnival Freedom catches fire near Bahamas
12:59 Hanwha Ocean wins 2.4 tln-won order for 8 LNG ships
11:16 Inland Ports meet in Paris to talk about the innovation potential of inland ports
10:50 IMO agrees possible outline for maritime “net-zero framework”
10:24 Hapag-Lloyd to continue to avoid the Red Sea route
09:58 QatarEnergy enters time charter agreements with Nakilat for the operation of 25 LNG vessels

2024 March 24

16:18 Inchgreen Marine Park upgraded as part of £11m investment
15:14 A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Solent Rail Terminal Rail was held at the Port of Southampton
14:08 ESNA and Strategic Marine join forces to offer Surface Effect Ship (“SES”) Crew Transfer Vessels (“CTV”) to the market
13:07 First LNG powered vessel calls at HIP
12:49 Inter-array cable installation completed at Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm