Port of Klaipeda 2022 results: optimism despite a challenging year

Lithuanian Port of Klaipėda concluded the year 2022 with a cargo volume of 36.1 million tonnes and maintained the fourth position among the Eastern Baltic ports. Although the cargo has decreased by 21%, comparing to 45.6 million tonnes in 2021, the result is better than initially forecasted. The decrease is caused by loss of nearly all transit cargo due to the war in Ukraine and related sanctions.

 

The decrease in transit cargo, which mainly consisted of Belarussian bulk fertilizer, was partially compensated by a record number of container TEUs, and increase in LNG and other petroleum product cargo volumes.

“The Port of Klaipėda has maintained its position on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, and is now leading in terms of containerised cargo handling. We are continuing our investments in infrastructure and environmental sustainability without changing our strategic direction. The port is dependent on its geographical location, general economic trends, industry and transit routes, but we put our efforts that this year we will maintain our 2022 performance in cargo handling,” says Algis Latakas, Director General of the Port of Klaipėda Authority.

In 2022, the Port of Klaipėda was included in additional ocean maritime routes, which contributed to the growth of container handling volumes, especially transhipment. At the end of the last year, a threshold of one million TEUs was exceeded. When comparing with other ports on the east coast of the Baltic Sea, the container handling at the Port of Klaipėda has increased the most, recording an annual growth rate of 57% (by number of TEU).

The previous year was marked by a recovery in cruise shipping. The Port of Klaipėda welcomed 61 cruise ships with 47,000 cruise tourists. 

In total, in 2022, the Port of Klaipėda had 5,605 ship calls (dry bulk carriers, containerships, tankers, ferries, cruise ships, etc.), and 337,000 passengers.