Compared to the same period of 2020, freight carried in transport by land and pipeline grew by 4.5%, but at ports it fell by 9.6% in the first half of 2021.
48.5 million tons of freights were carried by land and pipeline transport, up by 2.1 million tons or by 4.5%, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia.
In the first half of 2021, rail transport freights comprised 10.2 million tons, down by 11.9%. National freights by rail comprised 0.7 million tons, up by 13.6%. International freights by rail reduced by 13.4%, of which export freight transport – by 13.5% and import freight transport – by 24.1%, but goods in transit increased by 51.6%.
Freights carried to and from Latvian ports comprised 58.4% of international freights.
Freights by road comprised 37.8 million tons, up by 11.1%. National freights comprised 28.7 million tons, up 9.1%. International freights accounted for 9.1 million tons, up by 18%. Of which export freight comprised 2.5 million tons, up by 38.8%, and import freight – 1.8 million tons, up by 21.4%. Cross-trade and cabotage freights comprised 4.8 million tons, up bt 8.3%. 79.9% of total road freights were transportation for hire or reward. They rose by 18.7%.
0.5 million tons of oil products were transported via main pipeline, down by 40.3%.
In Q1, freight traffic by land and pipeline transport rose by 10.5%, but in Q2 – reduced by 1.2%.
In H1, freights loaded and unloaded at ports comprised 20.5 million tons, down by 9.6%. Freight turnover at Riga port was 10.2 million tons, down by 14.5%, at Ventspils port – 5.8 million tons, down by 14.2%, at Liepaja port – 3.4 million tons, up by 9.1%, but at minor ports – 1.1 million tons, up by 24.4%.
Freights loaded at ports comprised 16 million tons, down by 9.9%. Volume of coal loaded onto ships decreased by 1.9 million tons or by 91.2%. Oil products shipped reduced by 0.8 million tons or by 18.8%. The volume of freights in containers fell by 2.8% and of mineral fertilizers – by 10.2%. In turn, volume of timber loaded increased by 13.4%, of wood chips – by 0.4%, of roll on/roll off – by 7.8%, of grain and grain products – by 24.1%.
4.5 million tons of freight were unloaded at ports, down by 8.7%. Oil products unloaded decreased significantly – by 0.6 million tons or by 34.7%. The volume of unloaded freights in containers reduced by 15.5%, of various metals and articles thereof – by 6.7%. The volume of roll on/roll off rose by 18.4% and of building materials unloaded – by 17.2%.
In Q1, freight turnover at ports reduced by 8.2% and in Q2 – by 11.2%.
Airport Riga loaded and unloaded 12.3 thousand tons of freights, up by 24.8%. (BNN/Business World Magazine)