Danish Ambassador visits the Freeport of Riga Authority
On 9 August 2017, Hans Brask, the Danish Ambassador to Latvia, visited the Freeport of Riga Authority. The main objective of the visit was to meet the new CEO of the Freeport of Riga, Ansis Zeltins (Ansis Zeltiņš). During the meeting, the Ambassador learned about current issues facing the Port of Riga, and possibilities for further cooperation in the field of freight transport between Denmark and the port of Riga were discussed.
The Danish Ambassador learned about the port of Riga’s development indicators, newest projects and investment opportunities. Zeltins assured Ambassador Brask that Denmark was already an important partner for the port of Riga, adding, however, that in a situation where new freight markets and new investment projects for the port are vitally important, the Freeport of Riga Authority is interested in even closer cooperation with Danish ports, logistics companies and institutions.
The Ambassador, in turn, noted the quality of the services offered by the port of Riga, which was well appreciated by Maersk Line, one of Denmark's largest and most recognised companies. The Ambassador also informed Zeltins that a large delegation of Danish entrepreneurs were expected to visit Latvia in the near future, with one of the main goals being to strengthen cooperation between Denmark and Latvia, as well as to find new opportunities in the field of transport, logistics and freight transport.
During the Ambassador’s visit, opportunities were also discussed for the opening of a new line of freight and passenger ferries (ro-pax) from the port of Riga. Zeltins noted that the Freeport of Riga Authority would support any initiative that will facilitate cargo diversification and the attraction of new types of freight to the Port of Riga.
Cooperation between Denmark and the port of RigaDenmark is one of the largest cooperation partners for the port of Riga in the field of maritime freight traffic: over the last three years, the flow of maritime freight transportation between Riga and ports in Denmark has averaged 1.5 million tonnes per year, or about 4 per cent of the total cargo turnover at the port. An absolute majority (around 90 per cent) of cargo flows between the Port of Riga and ports in Denmark comprise shipped freight. In 2016, 188 ships sailed from Riga to Danish ports, while 48 ships arrived in Riga from Danish ports. The largest volume of shipments consists of coal, various types of timber, petroleum products, as well as agricultural products, while the majority of received cargo shipments were made up of various types of metal.
The Danish container line Maersk Line has been working successfully at the port of Riga for many years. In recent years, it has been the third-biggest line at the port of Riga in terms of the amount of served containerised cargo. In 2017, the number of Maersk vessels calling at the port increased considerably compared to previous years, with 60 Maersk Line/Sego Line vessels having entered the port in the first seven months of 2017.
