EU – Baltic States, Lithuania, Port, Railways, Transport

Evaldas Ignatavicius and Torben Svenningsen. Washington, D.C., 12.04.2012. Photo: urm.lt

"We are enjoying a strong and perspective partnership with the U.S. administration, the global logistics company Maersk and its U.S.-based subsidiary Maersk Line Ltd, which carries the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) cargo to Afghanistan. Cooperation with the U.S. partners is important to our Klaipeda Seaport, Lithuanian Railways and Lithuanian institutions not only economically, but it also strengthens the transatlantic partnership," Ignatavicius said.

During the ceremony, the Deputy Minister stated that Lithuania's geopolitical position at the crossroads to the markets of the EU and eastern neighbourhood countries, longstanding cooperation experience with neighbouring countries, the ice-free Klaipeda State Seaport and contacts of the Lithuanian Railways allow us to build viable and important transport corridors and cargo routes from Lithuania to Central Asia, the South Caucasus countries, Ukraine, Russia and even to China.

Thanks to the close cooperation between Lithuanian institutions, transport companies, the U.S. administration and U.S. companies, Lithuania has become an integral part of the Northen Distribution Network. Since 2011, the cargo intended for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has been carried to Afghanistan via the Klaipeda Seaport.