Grain season gets off to a slower start at the Port of Liepaja this year

Stevedoring companies at the Port of Liepaja handled 341,830 tons of cargo in August 2026. Dry bulk cargo traditionally accounts for the largest share, with agricultural products, construction materials and wood chips totaling 188,160 tons. General cargo was the second-largest cargo group, accounting for 153,240 tons, of which 129,200 tons were transported on the regular Liepaja–Travemünde ferry service to Germany.

Overall, the volume of cargo handled in August 2026 was below the average recorded for the same month in previous years.

*Grain volumes handled in August, thousand tons

Liepaja remains an important hub for Latvian grain exports

The Port of Liepaja has a long-standing focus on agricultural cargoes. Since the resumption of port operations in the 1990s, the port has deliberately developed its grain-handling infrastructure, with particular emphasis on locally sourced cargo. Approximately half of the cargo handled at the port is of Latvian origin, while the remainder is transit cargo. A key part of this activity is the export of grain grown by Latvian farmers to international markets. In early August 2026, grain terminals at the Port of Liepaja began accepting Latvian barley and wheat under previously concluded contracts. 

The terminals have a combined simultaneous grain storage capacity of approximately 730,000 tons. 

Liepaja Bulk Terminal, the port's largest dry bulk terminal, has signed one-year agreements with leading Latvian grain exporters, including Baltic Agro, Latraps and Linas Agro, covering the period from 1 July 2026 to 1 July 2027. The terminal also works with international agricultural commodity companies, including Archer Daniels Midland (ADM).

According to Juris Matvejevs, Chairman of the Board of Liepaja Bulk Terminal, the intake of Latvian grain is progressing more slowly this year than in previous seasons. The first shipment of Latvian wheat for export left the Port of Liepaja only on 6 September, when the Panamax-class vessel Tuo Fu 8, carrying 65,486.39 tons of grain, departed for Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The terminal also handles cargo flows involving Central Asian markets, both for the export of agricultural products to the European Union and for the import of commodities such as Argentine soybeans and Brazilian sugar.

Liepaja Bulk Terminal works with leading global agricultural commodity and logistics companies, including ADM (USA), one of the world's largest agricultural commodity traders and processors. ADM sources, stores and transports and agricultural commodities, connecting farmers with food, feed and industrial markets around the world.

The Port of Liepaja's second-largest grain terminal, DanStore, was established in 1999 as a joint venture between the Danish companies Svane Shipping and Scanmills. In 2003, international agricultural commodity trader and processor Bunge became the company's strategic partner, supporting the development of the specialized dry bulk terminal.

DanStore is also operating under contracts with several customers, including Latvian grain companies Baltic Agro and Agerona. At present, wheat grown by Latvian farmers is being loaded onto the Handysize-class vessel Jera, which will transport the cargo to Nigeria.

Handling local cargo has always been a priority for stevedoring companies at the Port of Liepaja. At the same time, long-term cooperation with major international logistics and commodity companies helps ensure stable utilization of the port's cargo-handling capacity throughout the year.

Approximately half of the cargo handled at the Port of Liepaja is Latvian cargo, while the other half consists of transit cargo. In recent years, considerable work has been carried out to develop transit cargo corridors connecting Liepaja with Central Asian markets. The development of these trade routes is particularly important for maintaining diversified cargo flows and making effective use of the port's infrastructure and handling capacity. Any restrictions on grain transit to third countries could have broader implications for global commodity markets. A reduction in the supply of grain to international markets could put upward pressure on global grain and food prices, potentially contributing to higher inflation in Europe, including Latvia, as well as globally.