AS "LatRailNet" performs continuous monitoring of comparable and agreed key performance indicators (KPI) of the railway sector. Performance indicators have been selected from the Latvian National Development Plan 2021-2027 and the Transport Development Guidelines for 2021-2027, as well as expanded with a system of supporting indicators, which are used to evaluate the effectiveness of decisions of essential functions. In this section you can find information about:
The share of services of different types of transport in the total export of services in Latvia
In the territory of Latvia, freight transit is predominantly facilitated by railway transportation. Approximately 64% of all imported railway freight shipments to Latvia come from Russia and Belarus. Latvian ports make a significant contribution to the further organization of transit flows. However, the importance of railways and ports has significantly decreased due to the sharp decline in transit cargo volumes. The transport policy of Russian ports has long been aimed at ensuring logistics independence from transit countries. Therefore, the reduction in cargo volumes in Latvia is not directly related to deteriorating access to railway or port infrastructure but rather to the restructuring of transit routes and the geopolitical situation.
In 2023, compared to 2022, the share of sea and rail transport in the total service exports continued to decrease, dropping to 2.2% and 1.8% respectively. In contrast, the share of air transport continued to rise, reaching 11.7%, a significant increase compared to the figures from 2022. The share of road transport in the total service exports also decreased, falling from 16.3% in 2022 to 14.6% in 2023.
In the Baltic region, the indicators for the intensity of rail freight traffic in 2023 continued to show a downward trend – the total number of train kilometers in rail freight transport decreased by 23.7% compared to 2022. In Latvia, 3.5 million tons were transported in international rail freight, including export transport (a decrease of 6.4%), 9.6 million tons were transported in rail imports (a decrease of 30.2%), and 0.8 million tons were transported in transit freight (a decrease of 58.3%). Through Latvian ports, 10.7 million tons of freight were transported by rail – 27.1% less than in 2022.
The volume of cargo handled in Latvian ports by type of cargo
A decrease in cargo volume was observed in most ports on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. The operational results of the ports reflect the significance and contribution of each country's ports to cargo handling and transit in the eastern Baltic Sea region. This is an important factor for the development of the national economy and indicates the competitiveness and performance of the ports in international trade. The decline in turnover last year is associated with changes in the geopolitical situation, primarily related to sanctions against Russia.
In 2023, the cargo turnover in the major Latvian ports decreased. The volume of cargo handled at the Port of Riga decreased by 20.1% to 18.8 million tons. This result was mainly influenced by the reduction in coal cargo turnover (-73.2%) and oil product turnover (-45.6%). However, the volume of container cargo at the Port of Riga increased by 1.0%, reaching 465.4 thousand TEU. Historically, this is the first time that containerized cargo turnover at the port has reached 5.1 million tons per year.
At the Port of Ventspils, there was a decrease in cargo volume by 29.3%, mainly influenced by the reduction in fertilizer cargo turnover (-72.8%), oil products (-50.7%), and coal cargo (-27.5%).
The volume of cargo handled at the Port of Liepaja in 2023 was 7.2 million tons, a 5% decrease compared to 2022. This decrease was mainly influenced by the reduction in coal cargo turnover (-82.4%), crude oil products (-63.9%), and containerized cargo (-70.0%).
The volume of cargo and TEU handled in the ports on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea
The compiled data on port operations indicate that in 2023, the volume of cargo handled in the major ports on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea decreased by 1.4% (or 9.06 million tons) from 510.8 million tons to 501.7 million tons compared to 2022. A reduction in cargo volume was observed in most ports on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. The operational results of the ports reflect the significance and contribution of each country's ports to cargo handling and transit in the eastern Baltic Sea region. This is an important factor for the development of the national economy and indicates the competitiveness and performance of the ports in international trade. The decline in turnover last year is associated with changes in the geopolitical situation, primarily related to sanctions against Russia.
The characterization of the share of cargo handled in the ports in 2023: four Russian ports accounted for almost half or 47.43% of the total volume of cargo handled in the 17 largest ports of the eastern Baltic Sea region. Three Polish ports accounted for 29.04% of the total volume. The three largest Latvian ports were responsible for 7.26% of the total cargo volume, while five Finnish ports provided a comparable cargo volume of 7.23%. Lithuania (Klaipėda Port) handled 6.52%, and Estonia 2.51% of the total cargo volume handled on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea.
In 2023, the Port of Ust-Luga ranked first among the ports on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea in terms of cargo volume, although the total cargo volume in this port decreased by 9.3% compared to 2022, from 124.1 million tons to 112.5 million tons.
The cargo volume at the Port of Gdańsk reached 81 million tons (an increase of 18.8%), thus ranking second among the ports on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, surpassing the Port of Primorsk by 17 million tons, where the cargo volume increased by 10.5% last year (reaching 63.1 million tons).
A sharp increase in cargo volume of 27.8% was observed at the Port of St. Petersburg, where the cargo volume reached 49.6 million tons.
The Port of Szczecin-Świnoujście ranked fifth in terms of cargo volume (35.3 million tons), registering a decrease of 4.0% compared to 2022.
Only 2.6 million tons less, or 32.7 million tons of cargo, were handled at the Port of Klaipėda, a decrease of 9.4%.
Compared to 2022, the volume of cargo handled at the Port of Gdynia reached 29.4 million tons, an increase of 4.2%.
The cargo turnover in 2023 decreased in the major Latvian ports. The volume of cargo handled at the Port of Riga decreased by 20.1% to 18.8 million tons. This result was mainly influenced by the reduction in coal cargo turnover (-73.2%) and oil product turnover (-45.6%). However, the volume of container cargo at the Port of Riga increased by 1.0%, reaching 465.4 thousand TEU. Historically, this is the first time that containerized cargo turnover at the port has reached 5.1 million tons per year.
At the Port of Hamina/Kotka and the Port of Helsinki, 2023 ended with a decrease in cargo volume of 13.2% (14.1 million tons handled) and 12.0% (13.4 million tons handled) respectively.
The cargo volume at the Port of Vysotsk decreased by 20.0% (from 16 million tons to 12.8 million tons in 2023).
The Port of Tallinn also experienced a decrease in cargo volume by 29.1% (from 17.7 million tons to 12.6 million tons).
At the Port of Ventspils, there was a decrease in cargo volume by 29.3%, mainly influenced by the reduction in fertilizer cargo turnover (-72.8%), oil products (-50.7%), and coal cargo (-27.5%).
The volume of cargo handled at the Port of Liepaja in 2023 was 7.2 million tons, a 5% decrease compared to 2022. This decrease was mainly influenced by the reduction in coal cargo turnover (-82.4%), crude oil products (-63.9%), and containerized cargo (-70.0%).