Lithuania, Port, Transport

The largest growth rates in January-May this year were recorded in handling of agricultural products (+145,5 thousand tons, increase by +27,5 %), bulk peat (+104,0 thousand tons, increase by +2,3 times) and packed fertilizers (+21,4 thousand tons, increase by +16,1 %), in comparison with January-May  2008.

In May of 2009 the port handled almost 2,32 million tons of cargo, i.e. by 7,3% less comparing to May last year.

In the last month of spring of 2009, the rates of liquid cargo handling maintained at the level of May last year (-0,3 %), handling of dry and bulk cargo decreased by –3,6 %, and general cargo – by -19,8 %, comparing to May 2008.

Cargo Handling in Klaipeda port in May 2008 and 2009

In terms of liquid cargo handling, increase was recorded only in turnover of oil products (932,7 thousand tons handled in May 2009,  while 859,8 thousand tons – in May 2008, change +72,8 thousand tons). Comparing to May 2008, the highest drop in liquid cargo turnover was recorded in handling figures of liquid fertilizers (84,2 thousand tons handled in May 2009, 161,2 thousand tons – in May 2008, change –77,0 thousand tons).

In terms of nomenclature of bulk cargo handled in May of 2009 and 2008, the growth was recorded in handling of peat (+18,8 thousand tons, 22,9 thousand tons handled, increase by +5,6 times), ore minerals and construction materials (+10,6 thousand tons, 90,8 thousand tons handled, increase by +13,2 %) and bulk fertilizers (+10,4 thousand tons, 402,0 thousand tons handled, increase by +2,7 %). Last month the port also handled raw sugar (27,6 thousand tons), – this cargo that was not handled at all in corresponding period of 2008. In the last month of spring 2009 the biggest drop was recorded in handling of ferroalloys (-49,3 thousand tons,  2,3 thousand tons handled, change –95,6 %), metal scrap (-24,3 thousand tons, 29,6 thousand tons handled, change –45,2 %) and agricultural products (-15,2 thousand tons, 71,5 thousand tons handled, change 17,5 %), comparing to the same period of 2008.

Klaipeda Port.

In terms of general cargo nomenclature no increase in handling figures was recorded in May 2009. The biggest drop in handling volumes was recorded in containers (in terms of tonnage) (-47,8 thousand tons, 252,1 thousand tons handled, change –15,9 %), timber (-32,1 thousand tons, 32,9 thousand tons handled, change -49,3 %), iron- and steelware (-21,4 thousand tons, 17,3 thousand tons handled, change –55,2 %) and Ro-Ro cargo (in terms of tonnage)  (-16,6 thousand tons, 279,0 thousand tons handled, change –5,6 %).

In May this year, the turnover of container units (TEU) in the port decreased by 31,9 % in comparison to May 2008 (21 357 TEU handled in May 2009, change      -9 997 TEU). Handling of Ro-Ro units decreased by -12,8 % (14 840 units handled in May 2009, change -2 177 units).

In May 2009, 31,20 thousand passengers visited Klaipeda, i.e. by 44,4 % more than in the corresponding period of 2008.  The new cruise shipping season that has started in May this year brought more than 7,1 thousand passengers to Klaipėda during the first month, i.e. almost by 2,9 times more than in corresponding period last year.

Cargo handling figures in Būtingė Terminal in May 2009 remained at the level of May last year and amounted to 802,4 thousand tons.