Klaipėda Port’s canal to be deepened to 15 meters
SE Klaipėda State Seaport Authority signed the contract for designing services regarding deepening of internal part of the seaport’s canal up to 15 m. Bigger depth is necessary to increase safety of large vessels in Klaipėda Port, and to improve effectiveness of transport chain, Klaipėda Port says in a press release.
The changing world tendencies cause attempt to safeguard higher effectiveness of navigation business by building and operating bigger and bigger vessels. In order to adjust to such tendencies and to safeguard navigation traffic, port authorities in charge of the port activities are developing their infrastructures accordingly. Klaipėda Port is not an exception.
"It is important for the port to improve traffic conditions for vessels by reducing restrictions on infrastructure for larger vessels. If the port is made deeper, the possibility will appear to load the vessels more fully. This would mean that possibilities of carriage by large vessels would be used more effectively. With growing effectiveness of transportation by vessels, the expenses of carriage of goods will be reduced," – said Mr. Vidmantas Paukštė, Director of Infrastructure of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, Managing Director at interim.
At present depth in the northern part of the port reaches 15 m, and the maximum permitted gauge is 13,8 m. It is planned to deepen the port up to 15 m from the northern part of the port until Malkų Bay. The deepening works will be partly financed by the EU Cohesion Fund.
The contract for supervision services of designing and deepening project was signed with UAB "Sweco Lietuva". It is planned to finish the designing works in the end of this July, and to start the deepening works in the beginning of next year, after a contractor is selected.
