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Port of Ventspils (Latvia) - Free Port Authority (ID: 4346)
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Ventspils has been a significant east-west trade centre since times immemorial due to its convenient geographical location and the ice-free port.The local tribes had traded even with Phoenicians and ancient Romans. The Vikings have also visited Ventspils both as traders and plunderers. History Ventspils has been a significant east-west trade centre since times immemorial due to its convenient geographical location and the ice-free port.The local tribes had traded even with Phoenicians and ancient Romans. The Vikings have also visited Ventspils both as traders and plunderers. Development plans The Free Port of Ventspils is an important part of the international east-west transport system. The port is undergoing reconstruction and modernisation works within the framework of the port development programme. The aim of the development programme is to preserve and develop an effectively functioning transit corridor. Environment and Safety A range of activities within the framework of the Environmental Policy Plan of the city (1992-1996) was carried out in the port in order to develop a well-balanced environmental and economic policy. The main attention was turned towards risk reduction in the ammonia transshipment terminal, abatement of oil product pollution in the river Venta and the Baltic Sea, as well as reduction of air pollution. Approximately 150 environmental protection activities were carried out in the enterprises of Ventspils. About 35 million USD were spent in order to purchase the necessary equipment. Free port authority The structure of the Ventspils Free Port Authority is laid down in the law "On Ports (1994)" and the law "On Ventspils Free Port (1996)". The Free Port Authority is confirmed by the Ventspils City Council. Contacts Free Port Authority: 19, Janu iela, Ventspils LV-3601, Latvia Phone: (+371) 36 22586, 36 22563 Fax: (+371) 36 21297 E-mail: vbparvalde@apollo.lv Harbourmaster: 77a Ostas iela, Ventspils LV-3601, Latvia (+371) 36 23324, 36 22669 Customs (+371) 36 68232 Lands Lots for Concession Ventspils Free Port the territory of 1720 ha, of witch approximately 1 000 ha is available for development. The same land lots for concession to companies are offered for the period of 30 years or more. We offer land lots for: value added activities, light industry, assembling, other industries. Facts and figures Ventspils Free Port is the leading port on the Baltic Sea and among the 20 leading European ports in terms of cargo turnover. Free Port Description The ice-free port of Ventspils is the leading export port on the Baltic Sea. The transit cargo turnover of the port was 37,5 million tons in 2001 which ranks Ventspils Free Port among the 20 leading European ports. The traffic capacity of the port is more than 80 million tons. 11 % of the total volume of oil and oil products exported from Russia are transshipped through the port of Ventspils. The port of Ventspils is a world known transit centre for crude oil, oil products, potash, ammonia and other liquid chemicals, metals, ferroalloys and timber. The port of Ventspils was proclaimed a free economic zone January 1, 1997. Enormous changes have taken place in the port during the last years. After the completion of the reconstruction and modernisation works the services and equipment of the port correspond to modern technical, safety and environmental protection standards. After the completion of the dredging works in the sea entrance channel and the port area, the largest vessels capable of entering the Baltic Sea can be accepted by the port. 8 terminals, stevedore companies, as well as 14 ship agencies are functioning in the port. The territory of the Free Port occupies 2623 ha. Unoccupied land (1240 ha) is available for the establishment of new enterprises. The independence of the port authority and the competitive trade environment ensure favourable business conditions, especially for the attraction of investments, the construction of new objects, the modernisation of technology and personnel training. The national programme of port modernisation is under way at present. History of the Free Port The German Crusaders came to the Baltic Sea Region in the 13th century and built one of their fortresses at the estuary of the river Venta. The first primitive ship berth was built in order to accept trade ships. The city of Ventspils started to develop gradually by the fortress. Ventspils started to flourish in the next centuries. It became a member of the Hanseatic League of trading cities and the leading port and manufacturing centre of the Kurzeme Duchy in the 17th century. The time of Duke Jacob (1642-1682) is considered to be that of greatest prosperity of the city of Ventspils. The port employed ship builders from Holland. Naval and merchant fleets were built, as well as storehouses and the sea breakwater. Ventspils traded with the most diverse countries and the ships from Ventspils sailed to the colonies of the Duchy Tobago, Gambia, as well as to the properties in Norway. The Duchy could have achieved still greater mightiness (Duke Jacob planned to colonise also Australia), if not for a war in Europe. Unfortunately, the successors of the Duke were not so active and the former busy life of the port stopped in 1682. The Duchy of Kurzeme was incorporated into the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th century and Ventspils started to regain its former status as a strategically important transport centre. The import and export of Russian goods to Western Europe grew rapidly and, as most of the Russian ports on the Baltic Sea were frozen for almost half the year, more and more attention was devoted to the ice-free port of Ventspils. Construction works of unprecedented volume were started at the port at the end of the 19th century. New berths, moles, storehouses and storage cellars were built and an elevator with a grain-dryer imported from Japan was installed it had no equivalent anywhere in the world. The construction of the railway line Moscow-Ventspils was completed at the beginning of the 20th century. The port was completely renovated and remarkably enlarged in order to serve as the main grain and butter export port of Russia. 60 years later the officials of Moscow again turned their attention to the geographically advantageous and ice-free port of Ventspils. It was decided to develop it as the leading oil and chemicals export port and the leading processing centre of the Soviet Union. Accordingly, Ventspils again became a significant trade centre in the fifties. The Ventspils of today has regained its former position as a significant transit centre. After a certain decrease of cargo turnover in 1992 (22 million tons) the present cargo turnover of the port has reached 37.9 million tons in 2001. Ventspils Free Port was proclaimed a free economic zone on January 1, 1997. Ventspils has been a significant east-west trade centre since times immemorial due to its convenient geographical location and the ice-free port. Port of Ventspils (Latvia) - Free Port Authority