Port of Klaipeda
Only 98 kilometers of the Baltic Sea coast belong to Lithuania and a better part of it consists of the yellow sand beaches, not yet discovered by its visitors. However, on the eastern part of the Baltic Sea, where the Curonian spit nearly touches the Baltic Sea coast and fresh waters of the Curonian lagoon flow into the salt sea, Klaipeda port – the gates of Lithuania into the world - has been operating over 750 years.
Lithuania is a geographical center of Europe, a crossroad of cargo flows. Klaipeda port situated on of the eastern part of the Baltic Sea - a convenient location for transit – is the northernmost ice-free port on the eastern Baltic region even during the most severe winters, ensuring smooth navigation and uninterrupted stevedoring operations. Vessels are arriving at Klaipeda port from many world countries: annually about 7,000 vessels from 50 world countries. It is a high-scale country’s transport hub, where the markets of the CIS and Asian countries as well as the EU come together.
Klaipeda Port highly contributes to clean environment preservation and contamination reduction. This port is the only one in the Baltic Sea region where the port dues discount are being granted pursuant to the Green Award system.
Port in the past
Even in 1252, after having built the first Klaipėda castle at the mouth of the Dangė, the Seaport was developed, where merchant vessels (cogs) from Lubeck and Bremen used to moor. Kurenas and hoop boats, highly resembling the Dutch vessels, had been sailing in the Curonian lagoon since the XVI century. Trade was controlled by Hansa and its strongest representative Danzig in the Baltic Sea. Therefore, no wonder, that at the outset of the XVI century, when the wars settled down and the trade was intensified, Klaipeda was attacked by three Danzig vessels on an early morning of 1520. The town was set on fire and the mouth of the Dangė was overloaded with brought stones. So fiercely the Baltic Ports had been competing!
Klaipeda was further developing not only as a port with berths and public warehouses, where goods were delivered from Prussia and Lithuania, but also as a ship-builder. The first sea ship was built in Klaipeda in 1549. The Port was also famous for ship masts – tall and straight logs, cut in Lithuanian forests, were of a huge demand. In 1786 the ship builders’ workshop was founded and 5-6 sail ships could be built simultaneously, which were famous for steadfastness. The last sail ship was built in Klaipeda in 1878, when the sail ships had been supplanted by fishing cutters and large steamers.
Klaipeda port infrastructure was developing during the XVII-XVIII centuries, when the fairway was marked, berths were constructed, the lighthouse was lighted in 1796, ballast berths were erected in 1784-91.
In 1990, after Lithuania regained its Independence, Klaipeda Port was included into jurisdiction of Lithuania and the State Seaport status was conceded.
Port today
During the Soviet times, until the Independence restoration, two separate ports – trade and fishing – had been operating in Klaipėda. Today the updated and dredged port can annually handle up to 30mt of various cargoes, a berth for cruise and naval ships has been recently erected. The state-of-the-art IT and operational systems speed up the cargo flow through Klaipeda port, increase its competitive advantage, facilitate agent’ and forwarders’ work.
Klaipeda is a universal port: nineteen large-scale stevedoring, ship building and repairing companies and over 200 private sea business companies are operating and all marine and cargo handling services are being rendered. The stevedoring companies can annually handle up to 30mt of various cargoes. The maximum depth at the berths is 14 meters.
Klaipeda is the only port of Lithuania, capable of accepting cruise vessels and focusing upon the promotion of sea tourism. Step by step it is becoming known all over the world, not only as a cargo port, but as a cruise one as well. Even cruise liners, 315 m long, have been there. The port’s capacities are being expanded. In 2010 a new passengers and cargoes’ terminal will be constructed in the center of the port and the town. It has been planned to start constructing a port for small boats and yachts, which will be able to accommodate up to 150 small boats and yachts simultaneously.
Klaipeda Marine traditions have been designated by the largest Sea festival in Lithuania. For the first time it was arranged in 1934, when a couple of hundred people from Klaipeda and guests from Lithuania gathered on the berth of the Curonian lagoon, close to the lighthouse, to pay homage to marine traditions. In 1959 the Sea Festival was restored and since that time it has been taking place each year. A wreath lowering ceremony has become its tradition, when the departed ships honour the casualties of the oceans at sea.
Klaipeda is a Lithuanian center for yachting and water sports. Since its establishment over 70 years counting Lithuanian Yachtsmen’s Union has been annually arranging the major regattas in the Curonian lagoon and the Baltic Sea, which earlier were restricted due to Iron Curtain. In 1989 three Lithuanian yachts "Lietuva", "Audra" and "Daile" started from Klaipeda. For the first time in the yachting history they crossed the Atlantic Ocean and passed the news to the world about the country’s revival and Independence aspirations.
During The Culrure 2011 Tall Ships Regatta tall ships are coming back to the historical port of Klaipeda, where sails will be flapping and town residents’ greeting exclamations for crews will be heard as it was 500 years ago!
More information about Port - www.portofklaipeda.lt
