Cargo turnover results at Klaipėda port for the year 2009 exceeded expectations

In accordance with preliminary data (results of calculations will be adjusted by 14 January), Klaipėda port (Lithuania) achieved rather good results in cargo handling in the year 2009. Although annual volumes of turnover were less, in comparison to the year 2008, the positive dynamics in cargo handling results observed since May 2009 has significantly reduced the gap between cargo turnover results in the years 2009 and 2008, that had been recorded by the beginning of 2009.

Comparing to corresponding  period of 2008, there was a 17,9% drop in total turnover at  Klaipėda port in 1st quarter of 2009, after two quarters of the year the gap amounted to 17,5%.  But already after three quarters of 2009 the gap was reduced to -13,1 %, and in December the results even by  29,3% exceeded those of December 2008. This indicates intensification of trade and allow for making optimistic forecasts regarding possible stabilization of economy and start of its growth in the year 2010.
In January-December 2009 Klaipėda port handled in total 27 863,1 thousand tons of marine cargo, i.e. by 6,7 % less than in 2008. Nevertheless, these figures by 4,1 % exceed the planned annual figures for cargo handling. The results of cargo handling in the year 2009 is the second best result of cargo turnover during all history of  Klaipėda port.    

Notwithstanding a drop in total cargo turnover at Klaipėda port in the year 2009, the turnover as per certain types of cargo has been growing. Comparing to 2008, the biggest growth in handling figures was recorded in turnover of bulk peat (+255,0 thousand tons, increase by 3 times, 381,3 thousand tons handled), agricultural products (+195,1 thousand tons, increase by 11,8 %, 1 852,4 thousand tons handled), bulk natural and chemical fertilizers (+141,1 thousand tons or increase by 2,5 %, 5 702,6 thousand tons handled).

In December 2009 the biggest drop was recorded in turnover of containers (in terms of tonnage) (decrease by 649,0 thousand tons, change -18,5 %, 2 858,8 thousand tons handled), Ro-Ro cargo (decrease by 378,2 thousand tons, change -10,5 %, 3 222,0 thousand tons handled), liquid natural and chemical fertilizers (decrease by 325,8 thousand tons, change -25,0 %, 974,8 thousand tons handled) in comparison to 2008. The turnover of oil products actually hasn’t changed (decrease by 133,7 thousand tons, 9 222,6 thousand tons handled). 

In 2009 handling of container units decreased by 33,6 % –  to 247 982 (TEU), and the turnover of Ro-Ro units decreased by 14,9 %, to 176 360 units.

The total number of passengers arriving to the port onboard the vessels in 2009 has slightly dropped (by -1,6 %) in comparison to the year 2008 and amounted to 272,1 thousand.

In January-December 2009 Būtingė Terminal handled 8 389,1 thousand tons of crude oil, i.e. total cargo handling figures decreased by 7,5 %.

During December 2009 Klaipėda port handled 2 813,0 thousand tons of marine cargo, i.e. monthly turnover increased by +29,3 % or 6,37 thousand tons in comparison to the corresponding  period of 2008.

During this period at Klaipėda port an increase was recorded in handling of liquid (+4,8 %) and general (+31,6 %) cargo, but especially in handling of dry and bulk (+60,9 %) cargo in comparison to December 2008.

The growth of dry and bulk cargo turnover at Klaipėda port resulted from a +76,8 % increase in handling figures for bulk natural and chemical fertilizers (582,9 thousand tons handled in December 2009, while 329,7 thousand tons handled in December 2008, change +253,2 thousand tons), and primary and processed mineral deposits, construction materials – by 2,3 times (134,5 thousand tons and 57,3 thousand tons handled, respectively; change +77,2 thousand tons), agricultural products (263,8 thousand tons and 210,9 thousand tons handled, respectively, change +53,0 thousand tons).

In terms of this nomenclature, the drop was recorded only in handling of 2 types of cargo: ferroalloys – to 5,7 thousand tons ( decrease by -13,7 thousand tons) and raw sugar that has not been handled at all in December last year. 

In December 2009, in terms of general cargo nomenclature, the biggest growth was recorded in container handling (in terms of tonnage) (+89,5 thousand tons, increase by 37,8%, 326,9 thousand tons handled), Ro-Ro cargo (in terms of tonnage) (+ 54,0 thousand tons, increase by 25,1 %, 268,9 thousand tons handled), packed natural and chemical fertilizers (by 13,1 thousand tons, increase 2,5 times, 22,0 thousand tons handled) as comparing to December 2008.

By comparing nomenclatures of liquid cargo handled in December 2009 and 2008, the biggest growth was recorded in turnover of natural and chemical products (+ 34,7 thousand tons,  increase by 65,9 %, 583,0 thousand tons handled) and oil products (+ 10,0 thousand tons, increase by 1,2 % , 134,5 thousand tons handled).

In December 2009 the turnover of Ro-Ro units in port amounted to 14 237 units, i.e. increase by 1 764 units or by 14,1 % was recorded in comparison to December 2008. The turnover of container units (TEU) decreased by 6,8 % (25 356 TEU or by 1 844 TEU less handled in December 2009).

15,1 thousand passengers visited Klaipėda in December 2009, i.e. by 16,3 % more than in corresponding period of 2008.

In December 2009 cargo handling figures in Būtingė Terminal dropped by 29,0 % in comparison to the year 2008 and amounted to 569,7 thousand tons.

Source: Transport Weekly