Construction works are in progress at the Baltic Container Terminal (BCT), the largest terminal in the Port of Riga, located in Kundziņsala. Underwater works aimed at constructing a new berth section have been successfully completed. Upon project completion, cargo loading and unloading processes at the terminal will be expedited, enhancing operational efficiency and the terminal’s commercial competitiveness. Recognizing the terminal’s reception of military vessels, the increased berth capacity serves as an investment in enhancing military mobility and reinforcing the overall security of the country and NATO.
The project involves extending the BCT berth KS – 34 by 57.3 meters with the construction of an additional section. Consequently, the overall length of the BCT berth line, comprising three berths, will reach 506.3 meters. With the increased terminal capacity, simultaneous mooring and servicing of two large vessels—container ships, ro-ro vessels (cargo ferries), or military ships—will be feasible, along with mooring vessels up to 340 meters in length.
To construct the new berth section at BCT, 280 sheet piles, each 20.5 meters long, were utilized. They were driven into the riverbed to a depth of 19.5 meters using specialized technology, forming a continuous sheet pile wall. Additionally, 24 pipe piles, 21 meters in length with a diameter of 1.42 meters, were driven into the riverbed to support the rail-mounted gantry crane located at the berth. The outer sheet pile wall is further anchored to the shore with horizontal anchor rods approximately 31 meters long. The total length of the anchor rods reaches 934 meters. During riverbed cleaning, approximately 7800 cubic meters of unsuitable soil—silt and fine sand—were dredged from the berth area.
The construction of the new BCT berth section is part of a tripartite agreement between the Freeport of Riga Authority, the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Agency (CINEA), and SIA Baltic Container Terminal (BCT). The agreement, signed this spring, focuses on expanding the dual-use capabilities of the Port of Riga by enhancing port infrastructure in Kundziņsala. It aims to strengthen the commercial competitiveness of the Port of Riga and improve the military mobility of Latvia and its allies. All project activities are planned to be fully completed by the end of 2024.
Image source: https://rop.lv/en/news/new-berth-being-built-port-riga-increase-military-mobility