Free port of Ventspils

Over the centuries, Free Port of Ventspils has evolved into one of the major transportation hubs of Latvia and the whole Baltic Sea region. The ice-free port, which occupies 2451,39 ha, is a perfect location for high-powered terminals for transshipment of cargoes like crude oil, oil products, liquid chemicals, fertilizers, metals, forest and fish products, coal, containers and Ro-Ro cargoes.

Various activities, which were aimed at improvement of the quality of services in the Port, have ensured the maximum depth of port up to 17.5 m in liquid bulk area, allowing accommodation of the largest vessels calling the Baltic Sea – AFRAMAX size tankers of 150.000 DWT, fast and time-saving cargo handling operations, as well as vast storage capacities. Several companies are working in dry bulk and general cargo area, where maximum depth reaches 15.5 m allowing terminals to accommodate vessels of up to 75.000 DWT. Ventspils port is linked to Russian oil pipeline system. The oil product pipeline from Polotsk to Ventspils has the annual capacity of 6 mln. tons and is managed by Latvian – Russian joint-stock company "LatRosTrans".

Ferry lines

Currently Free Port of Ventspils accommodates two regular Ro-Pax ferry lines. Both lines are operated by internationally well known company - Scandlines (www.scandlines.dk).

• Latvia – Sweden. Ferry line Ventspils – Nynäshamn (Sweden; 58 km from Stockholm and 545 km from Oslo) provides the fastest connection between Latvia and Sweden within 11 hours. Five weekly departures from each port are connecting Stockholm, the central Swedish and further ahead also Norwegian commercial centres with Latvia and via mainland also with Russia and other CIS countries. 
• Latvia – Germany. Ferry line Ventspils – Travemuende (Germany; 84 km from Hamburg and 330 km from Berlin) offers frequent cargo deliveries to Germany within 28 hours. Four weekly sailings provide fast and efficient ferry connections thus creating an alternative way to German market for the companies from the Baltic Sea region and Russia. 

Container traffic

In the year 2000 a state of the art universal/container terminal was constructed and started its operations in Ventspils - SIA "Noord Natie Ventspils Terminals". Since then the terminal has cooperated with several shipping lines. As of today one of the leading shipping companies in the world - A.P. Moller - Maersk Group and its partner on the route - Teamlines, have included Ventspils in their regular routing plans.

Road Network

Pan-European transportation network (E-22) leads its way through Ventspils, connecting Ventspils with Russian capital Moscow. This E-22 European significance road (Great Britain – the Netherlands – Germany – Sweden (Norköping) – Ventspils – Russia) allows efficient further distribution from Ventspils to Latvian capital city Riga (189 km from Ventspils), other Baltic States, Russia and CIS countries.

On the other hand the inner city road network is continuously improved, thus to ensure that every investment project has good access roads.

Railways

The East – West railway corridor through Ventspils is one of the most utilized in the Baltic States. Each year more than 21 million tons of various cargoes are transported via the route. Recently, with co-financing of EIB and EBRD, SJSC Latvijas dzelzcels has implemented the East-West railway corridor capacity improvement project, which has secured the route’s throughput capacity of 34 million tones per year. More information is available under www.ldz.lv

Air Transport

Ventspils Airport is a technologically developed regional airport, which is situated in the South – East part of the Ventspils city, just 5 km from the city centre. Up-to-date and functional passenger terminal, air traffic control information (AFIS), meteorological information (ATIS) and refuelling facilities are available. With the existing infrastructure Ventspils Airport corresponds to the standards of European Union and international civil aviation. Today Ventspils Airport specializes in servicing charter flights. More information is available in www.airport.ventspils.lv

Riga International Airport is located 175 km from Ventspils, servicing passenger and cargo flights to various global destinations. Besides the national airline “airBaltic”, Riga Airport is serviced by a number of other well known airlines like Lufthansa, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Finnair, Austrian Airlines, including as well the low cost carriers like Easy Jet and Ryanair. From Ventspils the Riga Airport can be reached by car approximately a little more than in two hours. More information is available under www.riga-airport.com