The port of Riga handled 31.1 million tons of various types of cargo during the first 11 months of this year. This November was especially successful for the port of Riga, as it was able to handle more than 3 million tons of various types of cargo, displaying one of the highest monthly results this year. Positive indicators are mostly related to an increase in turnover for container cargo, coal, cereal products and wood pellets.
It was the turnover of containers that increased significantly for the Freeport of Riga this year. The port handled 45,500 containers in November. In turn, over the first 11 months of this year, container terminals at the Port of Riga handled 410,000 TEU units, up by 17% YoY, already exceeding the number of containers handled in 2016. The handling of containers is the most environmentally friendly method of cargo handling and creates the highest added value.
Passenger transport at the port of Riga saw a rapid increase as well. During the first 11 months, the port of Riga served 770,000 passengers, up by 45% YoY. This increase is mostly related to the re-introduction of the second Tallink ferry on the route Riga-Stockholm. Meanwhile, the number of cruise-ship passengers rose significantly, too. This year, cruise ships delivered 85,000 tourists to Riga, up by 23% YoY. (PortNews/Business World Magazine)