Company briefs - 2010-02-17

Estonian state-owned port operator Port of Tallinn boosted cargo turnover by 25 percent in January compared to the same time last year, reports Aripaev Online. Bulk cargo volume rose by 298 percent, to 666,400 tons. Mixed cargo volume rose by 53.8 percent to 26,100 tons. Container weight grew 17.4 percent to 98,900 tons as the number of containers fell 8.2 percent to 10,876 TEU. Ro-ro cargo increased 8.4 percent to 210,200 tons. Liquid cargo rose by 4.3 percent to 2,106,600 tons. The biggest drop was posted in non-maritime cargo, 94.6 percent, to 200 tons. Liquid cargo formed 67.8 percent of volume, bulk cargo 21.4 percent, ro-ro cargo 6.8 percent, containers 3.2 percent, mixed cargo 0.8 percent and non-maritime cargo to almost zero.

A European Health Care Center is planned for Riga, with German investment of 15 million euros, reports Nozare.lv. The center would serve Western European and Russian patients who will be able to receive diagnosis according to ‘German’ standards, consultation on treatments, and rehabilitation services. The company EHCC has been established to carry out the project. Chairman Aleksandrs Saceks said the first stage of operation, in which 30 patients will be served, is planned for this May.  The center will initially be staffed by German specialists, later with local specialists, said Saceks. The project’s second stage includes construction of a health care complex, including a hotel, and will create around 200 jobs.

Cargo turnover at ports in Latvia totaled 4.9 million tons in January, 10.4 percent lower compared to the results of January 2009, reports Nozare.lv. Latvia’s three largest ports: Riga, Ventspils and Liepaja handled 4.87 million tons of cargo in January. Out of these three ports, only Liepaja has been able to increase cargo turnover, while Riga and Ventspils registered sharp drops. This past January, the Port of Riga handled 2.2 million tons of cargo, which is 15.6 percent less than a year ago. The Port of Ventspils handled 2.3 million tons of cargo in January, or 10 percent lower than last year. The Port of Liepaja handled 311,000 tons of cargo during January, 24.6 percent higher than January 2009.