English
During the first ten months of 2011, altogether 28.14 million tons of cargo have been transported in The Freeport of Riga, which is by 12.4% more than in the corresponding period last year. The largest increase (by 23.5%) belongs to oil products – in comparison to last year’s first 10 months, their capacity has increased by 1.2 million tons and has now reached 6.3 million tons.
Andris Ameriks, the Board Chairman of The Freeport of Riga, is satisfied that even though the goal of the port activities isn’t to become a major transit port for oil products, still, this type of cargo is an instrument that decreases the risk of losses which could be caused by the conjecture of change within a cargo group in world markets. Whilst orientating in the diversification of cargo types, the port of Riga remains competitive and profitable.
In the bulk cargo segment the increase, in respect to the first 10 months of last year, is 13.1%. In this cargo segment coal cargo still maintains in the leader position – this year almost 11 million tons have been processed, which is by 15% more than the first 10 months of last year.
The role of artificial fertilizers is becoming more significant – this year already 1.4 million tons have been processed. That is by 21.9% more than in 2010. The amounts of grains, ferroalloys, construction materials, scrap metal and sugar have also increased.
Within the bulk cargo segment, transhipping of peat, woodchips and various sawn timber and metal cargos has decreased. Even though for some cargo groups the decrease is almost 50 – 60%, this doesn’t have a major impact of the total turnover of the port, as these cargos make up a small part of all cargos.
Within the general cargo segment, the cargo increase remains the same as in the corresponding period of last year – an increase of 0.1%. The turnover for container cargos has increased by 19.1%, reaching 2.6 million tons. Transhipments of almost all other cargo groups within the general cargo segment have significantly decreased. Partly this can be explained by the containerization of various cargos, which is a comfortable and safe way of transhipment and within the marine transhipment branch it takes an increasingly more significant place. The increase of containerized transhipments through the port of Riga is also ensured by NATO relief consignments for Afghanistan.
This has been a very successful year for passenger transportations – the port of Riga has served 740,420 passengers, which is almost 80,000 passengers more than in the corresponding period last year. Whilst observing the passenger dynamics, forecasts can be made that in the middle of November, the number of passengers served will have already reached the total number of passengers served for the whole last year. Regardless to the fact that the active tourism season is over, in October more than 52,000 passengers were served in Riga’s port. This lets us forecast that until the end of this year the port of Riga will have served approximately 850,000 tourists.
