Klaipeda Port invests in infrastructure

The major port in Lithuania, Klaipeda, has reported that all work has now been completed on the development of their berth No.144 and that this berth is now fully open for cargoes. Berth 144 is one of the major terminals in this developing port and it is adapted for handling general, bulk and dry cargoes.

The final work required to bring to berth into full operation was the completion of a 1 kilometre long rail link that will allow cargoes to be moved in and out of the port by rail. Berth 144 is leased to Klasco and has a length of 469 metres with a projected water depth at the quay of 11 metres. The rail link to connect the berth to the main line was 931 m long. This rail link was completed at a cost of €1.24 million which is part of the €145 million that the port has invested in developing the port's infrastructure over the past two years, an increase of more than double compared with previous years.

Future plans will see the port invest about €350 million in the period up to 2018 and more than half of this sum will be allotted to dredging at the port. At present the main entrance channel has a dredged depth of 15 metres, reducing to 11 metres at many of the berths. With this dredging and development programme Klaipeda is preparing to handle the larger container and cruise ships that are calling at Baltic ports. Other projects that will be included in the port development this year will be EUR 4.4 million to improve and repair the railway infrastructure in the port and a further EUR 3.3 million to improve the road access. The railway infrastructure is a vital element of cargo handling at the port with much of the cargo handled travelling long distances inland.

Klaipeda has recently berthed a floating re-gasification plant for handling LNG cargoes and in addition to supplying the gas grid this plant will supply a transhipment depot where LNG cargoes can be transferred to road trucks. Future plans for the port include the construction of an major offshore island that will located to the east of the current harbour entrance with breakwaters further out to sea. This island will be developed as a deep water container terminal with 5 berths and facilities for handling the largest container ships as well as marine based leisure facilities.

Klaipeda is the most northerly of the Baltic year round ice free ports and so occupies an important position for the transhipment of cargoes for countries to the north. It also handles cruise ships and the planned dredging and the projected developments will expand the port facilities considerably.