Cargo, Good for Business, Lithuania, Markets and Companies, Port, Railways, Transport

After taking office just over a month ago, Egidijus Lazauskas , director of the state railway company's Freight Transportation Directorate, met with top executives of port cargo handling companies earlier this week and said that efforts would be made to facilitate equal and unified terms and conditions for all companies working in the port.

"We will aim to unify the terms and conditions. Depending on the station of arrival – Draugyste or Klaipeda, different tariffs had been set for incoming cargo. We are now unifying the terms and conditions to avoid prioritizing, Klaipeda becomes a single hub and all handling companies are equal," Lazauskas told.

In his words, new pricing scheme should be approved within a month.

Vaidotas Sileika, CEO of Klaipedos Konteineriu Terminalas (Klaipeda Container Terminal) and the head of the Association of Lithuanian Stevedoring Companies, said port handling companies had been notified of the planned pricing changes earlier this week.

"We are convinced that the new leadership of Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai currently applies equal and clear pricing, there are no exceptional conditions. It is hard to say what other companies see but during contacts with the new executives we see their clear vision and willingness to everything in a transparent and clear manner that would be comprehensible to all," Sileika told.

In early January, Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai annulled cargo transportation tariffs for Klasco, a stevedoring company owned by Achemos Grupe concern.

The Klaipeda port accommodates 14 stevedoring companies, including Kroviniu Terminalas (Cargo Terminal) operated by Achemos Grupe (Achema Group), state-run Klaipedos Nafta (Klaipeda Oil) and private-capital Bega, Klaipedos Smelte, Biriu Kroviniu Terminalas (Bulk Cargo Terminal), which is 30% owned by Belarusian fertilizer producer Belaruskali, Klaipedos Konteineriu Terminalas (Klaipeda Container Terminal), etc.