OREANDA-NEWS. February 24, 2010. In January 2010, despite difficult conditions for cargo handling due to unusually cold winter, Klaipeda port handled 2,53 million tons of cargo, i.e. by 14,1 % or by 313,0 thousand tons more than in January last year (see table). The total cargo turnover would have been even bigger, if the severe January frost had not slowed down handling of oil products due to additional works required to defrost oil products transported to the port on rail wagons, reported the press-centre of Klaipeda Port.
 
The biggest growth rates in January 2010 were recorded in dry and bulk cargo sector. In total 975,0 thousand tons were handled, what is even by 52,7 % or by 336,4 thousand tons more in comparison to corresponding month in 2009. A growth was also recorded in handling figures for general cargo (in total 665,5 thousand tons handled, i.e. by 21,7 % or by 118,7 thousand tons more than in January 2009). However the turnover of liquid cargo decreased (in total 889,8 thousand tons handled, i.e. by 15,8 % or by 142,0 thousand tons less than in January 2009).
 
The growth of dry and bulk cargo turnover resulted from increase in handling figures for natural and chemical fertilizers –  630,9 thousand tons were handled in the first month of 2010, while in January 2009 handling figures for fertilizers amounted only to 366,7 thousand tons (positive change by +264,3 thousand tons or by +56,4 %.) Turnover of primary and processed mineral deposits and construction materials increased even by 6,1 times (positive change by +91,8 thousand tons, in total 109,8 thousand tons handled). In January 2010 a drop was recorded in turnover of agricultural products (160,2 thousand tons handled, change by -6,7 %). No ferroalloys were handled in Klaipeda port in January 2010, while 22,5 thousand tons of this type of cargo were handled in January 2009. 

The growth of general cargo turnover was mostly influenced by increase in handling figures for intermodal cargo; 288,2 thousand tons of Ro-Ro cargo in terms of tonnage (increase by 40,0 % or by 82,3 thousand tons) were handled, handling figures for containerized cargo amounted to 256,7 thousand tons (increase by 31,9 % or by 62,1 thousand tons). Handling figures for timber products increased by 87,4 % – in total 37,7 thousand tons were handled. The port has started handling of packed peat again (in total 7,0 thousand tons handled), while in January 2009  this type of cargo was not handled at all.
 
The drop in liquid cargo handling in January 2010 was influenced by turnover of oil products (decrease by -99,1 thousand tons, or by 19,1 %, in total 770,8 thousand tons handled). Also a drop was recorded in handling figures for molasses – its turnover amounted to 5,9 thousand tons (decrease by -2,6 thousand tons or by -31,1 %). The figures for handling of natural and chemical fertilizers increased by 56,4 % – up to 83,7 thousand tons (increase +30,2 thousand tons).
 
14.632 Ro-Ro units were handled in January 2010, i.e. by 25,2 % or by 2.943 units more than in January 2009. The turnover of containers (in TEU) decreased by 6,1 %  –  to 19.804 TEU, negative change by -1.292 TEU. However, as it was mentioned above, turnover of containerized cargo in terms of tonnage increased by 31,9 %, as comparing to  January 2009. These figures indicate growth of consumption in Lithuania, what, in turn, will result in positive changes in economy this year.  
 
14,9 thousand passengers visited Klaipeda in January 2010, i.e. by 17,2 % more than in corresponding period of 2009.
 
In January 2010 cargo handling figures in Butinge Terminal dropped by 14,5% in comparison to January 2009 and amounted to 600,3 thousand tons.