The Lithuanian seaport of Klaipeda said that its first-quarter cargo traffic declined by 13.7% YoY, to 9.7 million tons.
Algis Latakas, the port’s CEO, said that he expected container shipments via Klaipeda to continue growing at a fast rate this year. Container (TEU) loadings in Klaipeda almost doubled in the first three months to 218,000 tons, the highest increase among ports on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea.
The handling of general cargoes, such as timber, iron and steel products, metal structures, refrigerated and ro-ro cargoes, increased by 13%, to 4.3 million tons. However, the handling of liquid cargoes, such as oil products, fertilisers and liquefied natural gas, declined by 6.1%, to 1.9 million tons, and bulk cargoes, such as fertilizers, raw sugar and peat, slumped down by 35.1%, to 3.5 million tons.
Klaipeda held onto its number four position among ports on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea in terms of first-quarter cargo tonnage. (BNN/Business World Magazine)
