News from Baltics Ports.

Riga Port was the largest Baltic port in 2012 in terms of cargo turnover

BC, Riga, 14.01.2013.

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/good_for_business/&doc=68610

Riga Port was the largest port in the Baltic countries in 2012 in terms of cargo turnover. Klaipeda Port was second, informs LETA/Nozare.lv.

The Riga Port's cargo turnover amounted to 36.05 million tons in 2012.

Klaipeda Port's cargo turnover was 35.2 million tons,

Ventspils Port had 30.34 million tons,

Tallinn Port – 29.47 million tons,

Butinge Terminal – 8.5 million tons,

Liepaja Port – 7.43 million tons.

Tallinn Port recorded the steepest reduction in cargo turnover in 2012 – 19.2%. Butinge Terminal's cargo turnover fell 4.6% and Klaipeda's 3.7%.

On the other hand, Liepaja Port's cargo turnover increased the most last year, 53%.

As reported, the Freeport of Riga handled 36.05 million tons of cargo in 2012, which is 5.8% more than in 2011, according to the port's homepage.

Bulk cargo turnover increased 8.3% to 21.62 million tons and accounted for the largest share of the port's cargo.

Liquid cargo turnover rose 2.6% to 7.7 million tons.

General cargo turnover grew 1.9% to 6.65 million tons.

Viking Line adds another ship to Tallinn-Helsinki route for summer

BC, Tallinn, 14.01.2013.

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/good_for_business/&doc=68601

Viking Line announced that it intends to double its passenger transport volume for summer on the Tallinn-Helsinki route, by adding another ship to the route for May 6 to September 1, 2013, LETA/Postimees Online reports.

The ship, Isabella, is far sailed on the Turku-Stockholm route.

Viking Line said that by adding a new ship, it wants to fortify its market position at the very competitive route.

Viking Line Eesti manager Inno Boridenko said that in summer, when vacationers are added to ordinary passengers on the route, the trips of the current ship Viking XPRS have been completely sold out at times.

Ventspils Port sets cautious projections for 2013

BC, Riga, 11.01.2013.

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/&doc=68535

2012 was the best year for Ventspils Port in five years, however, the second half of the year was less successful for the port than the first half in terms of cargo turnover, as Ventspils Mayor and Freeport of Ventspils CEO Aivars Lembergs (For Latvia and Ventspils) told a press conference yesterday, informs LETA.

Ventspils Port's terminals handled a total of 30.4 million tons of cargo last year, which is 7% more than in 2011 and 13% more than what had been projected at the beginning of 2012.

"Of course, the terminals' successes and failures largely depend on the market situation, on how Latvijas Dzelzcels and other transport companies operate. The first half of last year was very successful for the terminals. The other half was much weaker, for several reasons," said Lembergs.

"The first reason is that Russia limited oil supplies to oil refineries in Belarus," said Lembergs, explaining that this had an impact on Ventspils Port's cargo turnover in the second half of last year. Another reason is that market consumption decreased, which was also unfavorable for the typical large amounts of cargo at Ventspils Port.

This is why the cargo turnover projection for Ventspils Port in 2013 are rather cautious – 28.5 million tons, or 1.9 million tons less than in 2012.

"Based on the cargo turnover estimate for the port, we are planning our revenue from port duties and our expenditures accordingly. If it gets better than that, that will be fine, but we do have to exercise caution," said Lembergs.