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On March 5, a high-profile visit took place at the Port of Riga, as Jan Jambon, the Minister-President of Flanders, led a delegation comprising Flemish officials, diplomats, and business representatives. The Minister-President, during a meeting with Ansis Zeltiņš, CEO of the Freeport of Riga, emphasized the substantial potential for collaboration between Flanders and Latvia, particularly in the areas of port operations, logistics, and wind energy.

Ellerman City Liners, the prominent British shipowner, has expanded its service network by incorporating the Port of Gdynia into its direct route connecting Europe with the West Coast of the USA. This strategic development stems from an agreement forged between Ellerman and MSC last November, allowing the British operator to leverage MSC’s resources and deploy independent vessels for transatlantic connections linking ports in the Baltic Sea region, Scandinavia, Northern Europe, and the Atlantic Coast of the United States.

The Port of Gdynia’s dock bay construction progresses on schedule, driven by the deployment of Europe’s second-largest pile-driving machine. Part of a broader initiative, the project involves relocating a floating dock and is funded by the Port of Gdynia Authority through EU funds secured in 2018. This endeavor, a crucial component of the Deepening of the approach fairway and internal waters of the Port of Gdynia project, aims to enhance port infrastructure, enabling the berthing of larger container and bulk ships with dimensions of up to 400 meters in length, 58 meters in width, and a maximum draft of 14.7 meters. The comprehensive project, led by the NDI S.A. and NDI SOPOT S.A. consortium, is on track for completion in the first quarter of 2025, incorporating modern equipment and a gross contract value exceeding 82 million zloty. 

The recent crisis in the Red Sea has had a profound impact on the shortsea shipping landscape within Europe. Container carriers, in response, have strategically increased their fleet presence on intra-European routes connecting North Sea ports to the Mediterranean. This surge has resulted in an 18% boost in feeder transport capacity across Europe during January, marking a significant shift in supply chain dynamics.

During the recent visit, Mr. Assavbayev, Secretary General of the PS IGC TRACECA, engaged in discussions with Mr. Maksat Kaliakparov, Vice-Minister of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The meeting delved into the status of TRACECA initiatives, emphasizing the potential for advancing transit cargo transportation through regional seaports. Mr. Assavbayev shared insights from a recent meeting at the Baku International Sea Trade Port, highlighting discussions with the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) and addressing challenges hindering the timely dispatch of cargo vehicles.