Klaipėda Port Reports 6% Cargo Growth in First Half of 2026
Lithuania's Port of Klaipėda handled 20.1 million metric tons of cargo in the first half of 2026, a 6% increase from a year earlier, driven by stronger transit traffic and expanding shipping connections with Asia. The port's CEO credited diversification for shielding it from geopolitical uncertainty.
The Port of Klaipėda handled 20.1 million metric tons of cargo in the first six months of 2026, a 6% increase from the same period last year, driven by stronger transit flows and new shipping routes to Asia.
Port CEO Algis Latakas said on Tuesday that the port's diversified cargo base helped protect it from geopolitical uncertainty and regional trade disruptions. "The Port of Klaipėda is highly diversified, and that is one of the key elements of its success," Latakas stated. He noted that despite the war, sanctions, and tariffs, the first half was very good for cargo handling. The current pace suggests the port could handle more than 40 million tons by year-end.
Containerised cargo rose 12% to 7.2 million tons, while roll-on/roll-off cargo increased 4% to 3.4 million tons. The port handled nearly 700,000 TEUs, unchanged from last year. Transit cargo surged 165%, now accounting for 19% of total throughput.
Among individual cargo categories, oil products rose 12% to 2.3 million tons, LNG volumes climbed 37% to 1.6 million tons, and fertiliser shipments increased 14% to 890,000 tons. Grain shipments fell 7.1% to 1.3 million tons, while minerals and construction materials declined 6% to 940,000 tons.
According to the port authority, Klaipėda was the only major Baltic port to report cargo growth in the first half. It accounted for 44% of the Baltic states' total cargo market, rising to 54% when including the Būtingė oil terminal. Ports in Latvia and Estonia continued to lose volumes due to their historic reliance on Russian transit, much of which has disappeared under sanctions.
The number of freight vehicles transported through the port rose 2.5% to 173,500, while local shipyards completed repairs on 46 vessels, up 31% year-on-year.
