English
During the first five months of 2012 Freeport of Riga has handled 11, 6% more cargo than in the relevant accounting period of the previous year. Overall 15.72 million tons of cargo have been processed in Riga this year.
Traditionally, the biggest increase is observed in dry bulk sector: +17.3%. The absolute leader in this segment is coal, the amount of which has nearly reached 6.5 million tons this year, up by 19.6% over the same period last year. Shipments of sawdust have increased by 10.5%. It should be noted that sawdust is becoming an increasingly significant item of bulk cargo, reaching 461 thousand tons in the first five months. Wood pellet cargos are also increasing with 264 thousand tons already handled. Grain product shipments are growing, reaching 297 thousand tons, an increase of 47% over the first five months of 2011.
Decrease of 16.3% is observed in the transport of fertilizers. Negative dynamics is recorded in ore, peat, construction material, and iron alloy cargo sectors. However, the mentioned cargo groups do not figure prominently in the total port freight range, therefore it leaves little impression with the overall growth.
General cargo increase amounts to 5.9% relative to the first five months of 2011. Containerized cargos make up the largest volume, amounting to 1.51 million tons of 2.76 million tons processed in the sector totally. Containerized cargo shipment has increased by 25.7% in relation to the relevant accounting period of the previous year. Roll on/roll off cargo transportation has increased by 10%, reaching 241 thousand tons. Increase is observed in metal, machinery and equipment, as well as fish product transportation. At the same time timber and food product shipments have decreased. The large increase in containerized cargo shipments compensates for the losses in other freight sectors.
Oil products make up the highest proportion of liquid cargo sector; their amount over the first five months of this year is 3.2% higher than the last year's reference period. Overall this year Freeport of Riga has transshipped 3.78 million tons, of which 3.77 million tons are oil products.
The number of sea passengers continues to increase: Freeport of Riga has already served 283.403 passengers this year, an increase of 8.8% over the first five months of the previous year. 14.938 of them arrived in Riga by cruise ships. The number of cruise passengers has increased by 75.5% against 2011, when Freeport of Riga served 8510 cruise ship passengers.
