ARCHIPELAGOES Baltiska skärgårdar Lettland Riga

For centuries the port of Riga has been a strategic port on the Baltic Sea. It was one of the principle trading ports of Czarist Russia, the Soviet empire and even today 90% of the incoming goods is going to and from Russia.
In the early 1990's, it was hoped that Latvia would become a new "Hong Kong", a stable and efficient transit point for shifting goods to the massive Russian market. So far this vision has not come to fruition for a variety of reasons, including substandard rail and road networks, continuing trade barriers with Russia, and choked border points.
The economic chaos created by the collapse of the USSR hit the port particularly hard. In 1985, 2,095 thousand tons of general cargo were moved, but by 1992 this figure had slumped to just 721 thousand tons. Only in 1994 did the statistics show an increase compared to nine years ago, with 2,294 thousand tons. It is believed that the port could even handle a greater tonage of cargo. At least in one area, the movement of metals, there has been considerable growth, from 719 thousand tons in 1985 to 1,047 in 1995, reflecting the voluminous flow of these commodities from Russia and other points east to the west.
While there are other ports in Latvia that could become major arteries in the future, especially Ventspils with its oil cargo facilities, there is little doubt that Riga remains the preeminent terminal in the country. A wide range of shipping, storage and transportation facilities are available, including a new passenger terminal, Ro-Ro berthing, and handling facilities for grain, coal and other commodities.
Efficiency in these varied areas is improving, but a lot remains to be done to reach western standards. Efficiency in the terminal is gradually improving as Western standards are being implemented. Until aproximately two years ago turnaround time was slow. To get a container out of the terminal in Riga it once took a whole day, whereas in Hong Kong or Rotterdam it only took an hour and a half. The good news is that now, in most cases, the Riga terminal releases containers within two hours. Users of the port believe that Riga has a considerable advantage over it's Baltic competitors. The cost of shifting containers is cheaper in Riga than anywhere else in the Baltics, let alone.