English
This week in Astana, Kazakhstan, one of the largest forums of the transport and logistics industry of the region - the international exhibition “Translogistica Kazakhstan 2023” and the international business forum “New Silk Way”- has been taking place. The Port of Riga is participating in the exhibition at a single stand of Latvian transport sector companies under the brand VIALatvia together with the ports of Ventspils and Liepaja, companies of the concern “Latvijas dzelzceļš”, JSC “Lidosta Rīga” and the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Latvia.
The global economic crisis, geopolitical challenges and the collapse of the usual logistics chains had an impact on the cargo flow in the Port of Riga. Currently, port merchants, together with the Freeport of Riga Authority, engage in researching new markets, attracting new cargoes and creating new delivery routes, which could compensate for the decrease in the usual cargo throughput volumes. That is why, at industry events in Kazakhstan, the Port of Riga is represented by a record-large delegation of entrepreneurs, including representatives from eight port companies: Extron Baltica, Man-Tess, KS Terminal, Jaunzeltiņi, WT Terminal, Portek, Baltic Container Terminal and Rīgas universālais termināls.
For many years Kazakhstan has been an important partner in cargo logistics for the Port of Riga and now cooperation is taking on new dimensions and directions. As a result of the war launched by Russia, the usual logistics routes via Russian ports for export of such important Kazakh products as coal, metal ores, grain and non-ferrous metallurgical products, have been destroyed. That is why, since the spring of last year, Kazakh entrepreneurs have been looking for alternative logistics solutions, including via the Port of Riga.
Representatives of the port companies emphasize that the exhibition “TransLogistica Kazakhstan 2023” has welcomed many visitors, and interest in sending cargo through the port of Riga to the Kazakh side consistently remains high. This year, some entrepreneurs have expressed interest in deliveries of Kazakh cereals and other agricultural products, such as rapeseed, legumes and linseed, via the terminals of the Port of Riga. Several logistics companies servicing large Kazakh manufacturing companies are interested in the warehouse capacities of the Port of Riga in both the bulk and general cargo segments.
There is also interest in delivering various types of Kazakh cargo, including ferroalloys, non-ferrous metallurgical products and mineral fertilizers, to the port of Riga by rail, where at the port terminals they could be containerized and further sent to buyers by sea using container lines. Since the beginning of the war, ships of international container lines do not visit Russian ports, causing great problems not only for Russian, but also for Kazakh exporters. That is why Kazakh entrepreneurs are considering cargo delivery and reception via the port of Riga.
Kazakh entrepreneurs are also interested in import opportunities through the port of Riga. Mostly these are various goods that are delivered to Riga in containers, reloaded in wagons at the port terminals and sent to Kazakhstan by rail. Port merchants received offers to expand existing cargo deliveries, such as the import of car tires to Kazakhstan, as well as new requests for the import of machinery, equipment and raw materials for mining and non-ferrous metallurgy.
Information for media
- liene.ozola [at] rop.lv, +371 670 308 53
- Freeport of Riga Authority
- 12 Kalpaka blvd, Riga, Latvia, LV-1010
