Latvia, Port, Railways, Transport

Riga Port.

Cargo turnover at the Riga Port totaled 21.94 million tons, a 13.8% increase on the first nine months last year.

Ventspils Port reported cargo turnover of 21.33 million tons, which is 10.6% less than in the respective period last year, whereas Liepaja Port turned over 3.29 million tons of cargo, an increase of 12.1%.

Of the small ports, Mersrags Port registered the biggest cargo turnover, 381,400 tons, which is 29.6% increase on the first nine months of 2007.

Other small ports registered decreases in cargo turnover: Skulte Port handled 333,300 tons of cargo (17.8% decrease), Salacgriva Port handled 224,300 tons of cargo (28.3%), Roja – 31,300 tons (44.1%), Pavilosta Port – 3,600 tons (8.6%).

Cargo turnover at Engure Port reached 100 tons in the first nine months of the year, a 93.5% decrease from the first nine months last year.

Overall the small ports handled a total of 974,000 tons of cargo in January-September, or 9.3% less than in the first nine months of 2007.

Latvian railways.

The volume of freight transport by Latvian rail reached 40.881 million tons in the first nine months this year, which is 6.3% more than in the respective period last year.

Freight transportation within Latvia decreased 15% to 1.293 million tons, whereas international freight transportation increased 7.2% to 39.588 million tons.

The volume of export freight increased 39.2% to 999,100 tons, whereas import freight decreased 13.5% to 3.453 million tons.

The total volume of transit freight increased 9% to 35.135 million tons, whereas transit via ports increased 10.5%, reaching 31.511 million tons.

Overland transit via Latvia fell 2.5% to 3.624 million tons.