2012-07-25, 11:12
Russia Bypasses Lithuania and the Port of Klaipeda
© Vidmanto Matučio nuotr.
By opening a new line between Ust Luga and Baltijsk, Russia bypassed Lithuania. Because of this new line, Lithuania has lost part of the Russian transit cargo.
However, specialists claim that the ferry line from Ust Luga to Baltijsk has not influenced the railway cargo transition. Millions tons of Russian cargo are being transported from Kaliningrad to Russia or vice versa. Conversely, the cargo transported by the new ferry line has not reached one million tons.
Russia continues to develop its ports in the Gulf of Finland and pays more attention to the ro ro lines. Now they plan to open up a new line between St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Gdansk and Kiel. Although they are not declaring this publicly, this new line will be a competitor for Klaipeda port and its ferry line between Klaipeda and Kiel.
A substantial part of Russian cargo is transported with vehicles or DFDS Seaways ferries. St. Petersburg’s Administration Investments and Strategic Projects Committee Chairman’s Assistant Mariana Ordzonikidze said that there are plans to have regular routes that presently takes place once each week but have potential to be developed and organized three times week. Negotiations with the future operator are taking place.