Klaipėda Port cargo throughput increased by 11% in the first nine months of the year, reaching 28.7 million tonnes, marking the best September of the year. This growth was driven by containerized cargo (+31%, to 9.6 million tonnes), ro-ro cargo (+6%, almost 5 million tonnes), and a significant increase in LNG and construction materials volumes – both up 23% thanks to the work of FSRU Independence and active road and rail projects in Lithuania.
According to the port administration, this positive trend reflects economic stability, the agricultural season, and the country’s growing energy independence. At the same time, some segments experienced declines: scrap metal handling fell by 18%, timber by 16%, and fertilizer by 13% due to the suspension of transit from Russia and Belarus. Grain handling decreased by 10% following fluctuations in crop yields and domestic demand. Nevertheless, passenger traffic grew by 8%, including a 12% increase in cruise tourists; 52 ships were repaired and two new ones were built at the port’s shipyards.
Despite a decline in certain cargo categories, Klaipėda retained its status as the largest port in the Baltic, holding a 41% share of the regional market. By comparison, Riga holds 17.5%, Tallinn 14.6%, Ventspils just over 9%, and Liepaja over 7%.