Location for a new industrial park is marked within the territory of the Freeport of Riga

Mr Vladimirs Makarovs, Director of the Strategic planning and project management department at the Freeport of Riga Authority informs: “Discussions regarding the development of the support structure in Riga for Moscow entrepreneurs have taken place already several times. Therefore, the Freeport of Riga Authority made a conceptual decision about development of a new industrial park within the territory of the Freeport of Riga already before the arrival of the Moscow delegation. It will be located in the Northern part of Spilve meadows, and its total area will be around 70 ha.” The industrial park will serve not only the needs of Russian (including Moscow) enterprises. The decision was based also on multifold pleas by enterprises from Latvia and other countries to offer a place for development of storehouse and manufacturing areas. However, till now the Freeport of Riga had not allocated a territory for such purpose.
The location was chosen based on already done and planned infrastructure improvements – the marked railway to Krievu Island is located in nearby, as well as motorway will be easy accessible. The planned realization time of the project coincides with the already approved construction time of the railway line – year 2013. The Freeport of Riga Authority, Moscow Government and entrepreneurs are the expected sources of finance needed for development of the industrial park.

During the visit there were also revealed new types of possible cooperation among Moscow and the Freeport of Riga. Taking into account that the daily consumption of food within Moscow district reaches 40 thousand tons, reliable and secure supply is of great importance. Currently the most supplies take place via railway from the Port of St.Petersburg to Moscow, however, both the terminals in St.Petersburg as well as railway route St.Petersburg-Moscow work at very high capacity. As a result representatives from Moscow and the Freeport of Riga agreed to evaluate the possibility to develop storehouses and terminal in the territory of the Freeport of Riga in order to decrease the burden on terminals and railway roads of St.Petersburg. Mr Vladimirs Makarovs denotes: “It is not decided yet on the location of the new structure. The contracts of the current lessees and conformity of their activities to the interests of the Freeport of Riga will be reviewed. If there are other certain offers regarding the rent of area or investments, a situation when real activity does not take place and territories are only theoretically occupied is not acceptable.”