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.
Highlighting the pivotal role that ports play in both Flanders and Latvia’s economies, Minister-President Jambon underscored their contribution to overall economic growth across various sectors. Ansis Zeltiņš, CEO of the Freeport of Riga, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the historical significance of ports in fostering connections between Latvia and Flanders since the time of the Hanseatic League. The visit fostered discussions on collaboration opportunities in wind energy, with a focus on offshore wind farms, IT software development, wind energy construction, engineering solutions, and manufacturing of turbine components.
The Flemish business delegation, which included companies engaged in various aspects of the offshore wind sector, expressed interest in collaboration across multiple sectors, including transport, logistics, IT, dredging, construction, and real estate. The visit highlighted the enduring partnership between the Port of Riga and Flemish ports, with 0.7 million tons of cargo exchanged in 2023, constituting 3.6% of the port’s total turnover. Containerized cargo, particularly through shipping lines like MSC and CMA CGM, played a crucial role, linking Riga with Flanders’ ports. Additionally, forestry and agricultural cargo, accounting for 32% of peat volume in 2023, were transported from the Port of Riga to the Port of Ghent.