Cargo, Good for Business, Latvia, Port, Transport

Last year, Latvian ports mostly transshipped bulk cargo – 37.25 mln tons (11.6 % more than in 2017). This amount included 20.87 mln tons of coal (18.6% increase), 2.56 mln tons of chemicals (6.3% decrease), 1.58 mln tons of woodchips (8.5% increase).

Liquid cargo turnover at Latvian ports decreased 10.9 % to 15.06 mln tons. Oil products accounted for most liquid cargo handled by Latvian ports – 14.16 mln tons (12.1% decrease).

General cargo turnover increased 19.5% to 13.86 mln tons - container cargo turnover amounted to 4.98 mln tons (6.8% increase), wood - 4.8 mln tons (48.2% increase), and roll-on/roll-off cargo - 3.49 mln tons (9.5% increase).

Riga Port was the largest Latvian port in terms of cargo turnover last year, handling a total of 36.43 mln tons of cargo (8.2 % increase year on year), followed by Ventspils Port with 20.32 mln tons (1.4% up) and Liepaja Port with 7.54 mln tons (11.3% increase).

Skulte was the leader among Latvia's small ports with cargo turnover at 998,500 tons (21.8% increase), followed by Mersrags Port – 456,800 tons (4.7 % increase), and Salacgriva Port – 351,000 tons (31.5% increase).

The small ports' total cargo turnover in 2018 was 1.88 mln tons, an increase of 19% on 2017.

In 2017, Latvian ports handled 61.877 mln tons of cargo, down 2% from 2016.