Compared to the nine months of 2016, the volume of freights carried by land and pipelines had increased by 2.3 million tons or by 2.7% and freight turnover by 3% in the nine months of 2017.
The volume of freights carried by rail went up by 1 million tons or by 2.8%, whereas the freight turnover went up by 1.1%. The volume of freights carried by road increased by 3.3 million tons or by 6.9%, while the freight turnover by 5.4%. The volume of oil products transported via the main oil products pipeline and freight turnover dropped by 0.7%, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia.
Over the nine months of 2017, freights transported to and from Latvian ports accounted for 47.7 million tons, which is 3.9% more than during the nine months of 2016.
There were 42.1 million tons of freights shipped from ports, which is 2.8% more than during the nine months of 2016. The increase in the volume of freights shipped was facilitated by the rise of 3.1 million tons or 28% in the volume of coal loaded onto ships, as well as of 15.4% in the loaded freights in containers, and of 14.1% in roll on / roll off. Reduction in the volume of shipped freights was recorded in the freights of oil products (of 16.6%), grain and grain products (11.4%), timber (3.1%), and mineral fertilizers (15.2%).
The volume of freights received at ports increased by 12.9%. This was mainly due to the increase in the unloaded freights in containers and roll on / roll off (of 18.5% and 13.1%, respectively), as well as upturn in the volume of unloaded oil product freights (of 13.9%).
Riga International Airport received and shipped 16.5 thousand tons of cargo, which is 13.3% more than in the nine months of 2016.
During the nine months of 2017, the number of passengers carried by land passenger transport remained at the level recorded previous year – 181.7 million.
The number of passengers carried by rail grew by 1.5%, that of passengers carried by regular bus traffic lines fell by 0.5%, whereas that of passengers carried by urban electric transport went up by 0.4%.
The number of passengers arrived at and departed from Latvian ports with ferries accounted for 769.8 thousand, which is 41.7% more than over the nine months of 2016.
There were 83.5 thousand passengers who arrived at the Riga Passenger Terminal via cruise ships – 21.4% more than during the respective period of the previous year.
The number of passengers arrived at and departed from the Riga International Airport constituted 4.6 million, which is 11.4% more than in the nine months of 2016. (BNN/Business World Magazine)