English
The Freeport of Riga Board has approved the Freeport of Riga Investment Plan for 2025. This year, EUR 7.43 million will be invested in the development of the Port of Riga, which is EUR 1.07 million or 17% more than last year. The investment plan for 2025 will provide for both the implementation of several large-scale port infrastructure projects, which have already been started, as well as for investments in new projects of strategic importance for the port.
“The priority of this year's investment plan is the implementation of the port's major infrastructure development and digitisation projects, that will increase the potential for attracting new investments. Investing in the physical and digital infrastructure of the port is essential to proceed with the process of attracting investors to develop modern manufacturing and logistics parks in the port area. We realise that investors are very interested in the Port of Riga, but the port's current infrastructure does not always meet the requirements of big scale investment projects. That is why we are currently focused on targeted investments in the port's infrastructure to make it as attractive as possible and to meet the investor needs,” said Sandis Šteins, Chairman of the Freeport of Riga Board.
In 2025, it is planned to complete the part of the project under the responsibility of the Freeport of Riga Authority within the new traffic overpass from Tvaika Street to Kundziņsala, by building port and public infrastructure facilities in Kundziņsala, including a new, modern port pass checkpoint with a fully digitised access system, which will ensure electronic registration of road transport in the queue, digitisation of cargo movement documents, improving the road transport throughput of the checkpoint. As it is known, the construction of the overpass is being carried out by the Riga City Municipality and the entire project is due to be commissioned in early 2026 in compliance with the schedule.
This year, the Freeport of Riga Authority will continue to work on the development of industrial infrastructure in Kundziņsala, which is currently being transformed into an operational cargo warehousing and logistics centre and a site of major international investment projects, including wind technology and relevant component manufacturing facilities. It has already been mentioned that at the end of 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the implementation of the project “Establishment of port and logistics infrastructure for the development of wind technology production in Kundziņsala” and approved the investment of €64.6 million into the development of infrastructure in the Kundziņsala area. The total investment of the project will amount to more than EUR 85 million, which are allocated for the construction of engineering networks, increasing network capacity, the construction of access roads and a railway crossing, a new deep-water berth with a RoRo ramp, new logistics infrastructure as well as for the dredging of the water area. The project will be completed by 31 December 2029. It is expected that the offshore wind turbine component manufacturers will develop a large-scale manufacturing complex in the area adjacent to the port infrastructure.
In 2025, the reconstruction of Flotes Street in cooperation with the Riga City Municipality is scheduled to start. In recent years, the area adjacent to Flotes Street in the Port of Riga in Daugavgrīva has been the site of rapid development of the port terminals, with the influx of new investors and increased volumes of cargo, boosting freight traffic intensity. The Flotes Street reconstruction project, developed in cooperation with the Riga City Municipality, will provide for new pedestrian, cycling and car traffic management and parking infrastructure, as well as the construction of storm water collectors and lighting infrastructure. Construction work is scheduled to start at the end of this year and the project is expected to be completed in 2027.
Work will continue on the development of a new, modern maritime passenger transport infrastructure in the Port of Riga. In order to start the development of the cruise ship and cargo-passenger ferry terminal complex in Eksportosta, the Freeport of Riga Authority is planning to carry out navigation infrastructure improvement works this year, partially dismantling the ED Dam, which is necessary for the implementation of the new terminal project to ensure berthing of large cruise vessels (exceeding LOA 300 m) in the vicinity of the historic city centre. The partial dismantling of the ED Dam is scheduled to be completed by summer 2026. At the same time, the Freeport of Riga Authority, together with partners from the Riga City Municipality, LIAA, RITA and the Ministry of Economics, continues to work on the renewal of a regular passenger and cargo ferry service to/from the Port of Riga.
This year will mark the continuation of the port's digital infrastructure development projects, moving towards the digitisation and equipping of the port's pass checkpoints with biometric and machine vision solutions, ensuring contactless control of persons and vehicles. Together with partners, work will continue on the digital transformation of Latvia's port management, improving transport and logistics data processing and analysis, introducing an integrated, one-stop and one-time platform for digital integration between port users, cargo carriers and the Port authority.
As in previous years, the Port of Riga's priority list this year includes projects related to the EU Green Deal, climate neutrality requirements and Green Port objectives. The Port of Riga is participating in the project “BalticSeaH2 - Cross-border hydrogen valley around the Baltic Sea”, providing in-depth research on the potential of hydrogen technology in maritime applications, including the transportation, storage and manufacturing of hydrogen and products, as well as the use of alternative fuel solutions (methanol, ammonia, etc.) for shipping. This year, the Port of Riga plans to develop a feasibility study and project for the conversion of its current fleet vessel to hydrogen-based hybrid propulsion technologies.
By implementing all the above-mentioned projects, the Freeport of Riga is actively pursuing the development and modernisation of the port infrastructure. In 2024, several large-scale infrastructure projects were implemented, including the completion of the military mobility project with a total investment of EUR 12.51 million, strengthening the port's competitiveness and security. An industrial park for renewable energy is currently under construction in the port territory and a contract has been signed for the development of a 100 MW solar park with an investment volume of up to €80 million.
The total budget for infrastructure projects in the Port of Riga in 2025 will amount to €7.43 million, including €5.43 million from the Freeport of Riga Authority and €2 million co-funding from the EU's Recovery and Resilience Mechanism Programme for the project “Digital transformation of port management by improving logistics data processing and analysis”.
Information for media
- liene.ozola [at] rop.lv, +371 670 308 53
- Freeport of Riga Authority
- 12 Kalpaka blvd, Riga, Latvia, LV-1010
