A trial shipment of Ukrainian grain to the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda shows that transport via Poland is inefficient and only shipments via Belarus would allow making full use of the port’s potential.
The test run of the grain was delivered this week to the stevedoring company Bega. According to Klaipeda port companies, Ukrainian grain transportation via Poland is possible, but not viable. While shipping grain via Belarus would allow handling around 10 million tons, transportation via Poland allows for merely one tenth of that.
Algis Latas, the Klaipeda port’s manager, says that the route still needs to be significantly improved. According to him, a massive flow is only possible via Belarus.
“The logical position is to discuss a humanitarian corridor through Belarus. Belarus plays a decisive role in the issue of transporting Ukrainian grain through the port of Klaipeda. Then, without doing anything more, we could load around 6 million tons. And if we shift the storage space around, we could get 8-9 million,” Latakas said.
Laimonas Rimkus, head of Bega, was positive about the test run, but also said that transport via Belarus would be better.
“The important thing is not the financial benefits, because there are none. You are just happy to be helping Ukraine. The benefits come when the process is perfected and everything is done very efficiently, at high speed and with optimal resources. We are more comfortable with the old, traditional way of working. We prefer to use the Lithuanian rail wagons, for which all terminals are ready. As it is now, it is possible to work, but it takes time,” the head of Bega said.
“Imagine loading 1,800 tons a day. We can load 26,000 tons of agricultural crops in one day. This is our commercial mode, which brings benefits,” he said.
Lithuania has cut commercial ties with Belarus following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which was partly launched from the Belarusian territory.
Before that, Lithuania had stopped the transit of Belarusian fertilisers via the country’s railways and Klaipeda port. This was a response to the Belarusian government’s repressions against the opposition. The Lithuanian government decided that handling Belarusian cargo was incompatible with Lithuania’s national security. (LRT/Business World Magazine)