Inclement weather may affect cargo turnover at Riga Freeport in February

Alla Petrova, BC, Riga, 17.02.2011.

Ship traffic has been curbed at the Riga Freeport because of ice, therefore it is possible that the port will handle less cargo this month as planned, the port informed the business information portal Nozare.lv.

Similar situation was in January 2010, when the port's cargo turnover dropped 15%. The port's total cargo turnover in 2010, however, was record high and exceeded 30 million tons of cargo, writes LETA.

Riga Port handled 2.7 million tons of cargo in January, which is a 23.3% increase when compared to January 2010.

The Riga Freeport chairman of the board, Andris Ameriks, explains that the port's cargo turnover continues to increase, and it indicates that the port's chosen strategy is correct.

Ameriks marked the 20.7% container cargo turnover increase, compared to January 2010. The amount of timber cargoes has also increased, reaching 295,000 cubic meters per month.

As reported, in the first month of the year, 5.13 million tons of cargo were handled at Latvian ports, which is 2.7% more when compared to January of last year, according to information from the Transport Ministry.

A total of 4.96 million tons of cargo were handled at Latvia's three largest ports in Riga, Ventspils and Liepaja during January.

Ventspils Port handled 1.88 million tons of cargo in January, a drop of 20.7% when compared to last year.

Liepaja Port handled 386,100 tons of cargo, which is a 24.2% increase.

According to the Transport Ministry's data, bulk cargo made up the largest part of the cargo turnover at Latvia's large ports – 2.22 million tons, which is an increase of 11.8% when compared to January 2010.

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/transport/&doc=37414