2009.-2015.

Project implementation time:

2009 - 2015

Project promoter:

Liepaja Special Economic Zone Authority

Project Objective:

To maintain the market share of the Port of Liepaja by improving the accessibility of the Port of Liepaja from the sea and increasing the efficiency of cargo transportation.

Total project cost:

EUR 54 624 139.30, including eligible costs - EUR 44 330 828.43, of which EUR 32 951 626.36 was co-financed by the Cohesion Fund of the European Union

The implementation of the project "Dredging of the Port of Liepaja" started on 9 April 2009, when an agreement on the implementation of the EU Cohesion Fund project was signed with the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Latvia. The project was completed on 31 October 2015.

In order to improve the accessibility of the Port of Liepaja from the sea side, thus improving the functionality of the TEN-T infrastructure and maintaining the competitiveness of the Port of Liepaja in the international freight transport market, the following transport infrastructure development measures were implemented under the project "Deepening of the Port of Liepaja":

Component "Dredging of the Port Fairway and Freeport Water Area"

Under this component, the port fairway was deepened from 11.0 to 12.5 metres, while the Freeport area, which handles large tonnage vessels, was deepened from 10.5 to 12.0 metres. The deepened fairway was equipped with new navigation equipment, such as buoys and navigation lights. The work was carried out by the Belgian company "Dredging International N.V." and German company "STRABAG Wasserbau GmbH", which won the tender announced by the Liepaja Special Economic Zone Authority. The implementation of the works to be carried out under this component was completed in 2015.

Component "Dredging of the Lochu Channel and the Winter Harbour"

The component included the dredging of the Loču Channel and the Winter Harbour to 7.0 metres. The works were carried out by the Belgian company "Dredging International N.V." and German company "STRABAG Wasserbau GmbH", which won the tender announced by the Liepaja Special Economic Zone Authority. The implementation of the works to be carried out under this component was completed in 2015.

Component "Modernisation of the Vessel Traffic Control Centre Equipment"

The component included a comprehensive modernisation of the equipment of the Vessel Traffic Management Centre of the Captain of the Port of Liepaja by replacing radars, installing a new vessel traffic management system, as well as new meteorological observation stations and other equipment. The work was carried out by the Talsu Spriegums & HITT joint venture, which brought together the Latvian company Talsu Spriegums Ltd and the Dutch company HITT Holland Institute of Traffic Technology B.V, and which won the tender issued by the Liepaja Special Economic Zone Authority. The implementation of the works to be carried out under this component was completed in 2011.