Latvian port cargo turnover was 20 million tons in this year’s first quarter, which is by 22.6% more than last year’s period. March this year marked the absolute monthly record in cargo transit – 7.2 million tons.

During the first quarter of 2012 Latvian ports shipped 17.8 million tons of cargoes, which is by 19.5% more than in the January-March period of 2011. With the large demand on the world market, more than a third (38.2%) of cargoes sent were oil products and some proportion of coal as well (33.9%), data from the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia shows.

This year’s January-March period amount of cargoes received makes up 2.2 million tons, which is by 54.5% more than last year. Thanks to a successful economic development in the world, more than a fifth (21.9%) of the received cargoes make up cargo containers, as well as 17.1% of them are oil products, and 15.5% – mobile cargoes.

Compared to the first quarter of 2011, cargo turnover at the Riga port in the first quarter of 2012 increased by 23.6% and reached 9.5 million tons. The volume of cargo loaded on board ships was 8.4 million tons, which is by 21% more than last year, the volume of unloaded cargo – 1.1 million tons, which is by 47.5% more than in last year’s January-March period.

Cargo turnover at the Ventspils port in the first quarter of 2012 was 8.5 million tons, which is by 19.1% more than in the first quarter of 2011. The volume of shipped cargo increased by 16.8%, making up 7.8 million tons, and the volume of received cargo increased 1.5 times. Cargo turnover at Liepaja port in the first quarter of 2012 was 1.7 million tons, which is by 42.9% more than in the first quarter of 2011. The volume of shipped cargo reached 1.3 million tons, which is by 35.4% more than in the same period of last year. The volume of cargoes received increased 1.8 times.

Cargo turnover at small ports remains on the same level – 0.3 million tons, with a minimal increase (0.3%), compared to the January-March period of 2011.

Meanwhile passenger turnover at Riga passenger port was 142.9 thousand passengers in the first quarter of 2012, which is by 4.9% more than last year. Riga passenger port serviced 3.3 thousand passengers who arrived there on cruise ships, which is by 20.7% less than in the first quarter of 2011. Passenger turnover at Ventspils passenger port was 11.1 thousand passengers, two times more than last year, and 7 thousand passengers at Liepaja passenger port, 1.7 times more than during the relative period of last year.

Ref: 102.109.109.1283