Liepaja SEZ Authority Announces Procurement for Reconstruction of Berth No. 46 at the Port of Liepaja

To promote the development of cargo and passenger ferry routes via the Port of Liepaja and ensure the continuity of cargo flow, the Liepaja Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Authority continues its efforts to reconstruct Berth No. 46 of the Port of Liepaja. The provision of regular ferry traffic is strategically important not only for the economy of Liepaja and Latvia, but also for the European Union’s economic and military mobility operations. Last year, the berth handled 1.8 million tons of cargo with an approximate total value of 4 billion euros.

The reconstruction of the berth will enable the simultaneous and safe servicing of two cargo vessels or cargo–passenger ferries with a maximum length of up to 240 meters and a draft of up to 11 meters. The reconstruction works will include the installation of additional mooring piles, upgrading of the berth’s structural elements, and increasing the water depth from 10.5 to 12.0 meters. Furthermore, to accommodate the latest and most modern RO-RO and RO-PAX ferries, the berth will be equipped with an onshore power supply system for vessels and local wastewater reception facilities. The reconstruction works of Berth No. 46 are planned to be completed by 31 December 2027.

Berth No. 46 is located in the Freeport area of the Port of Liepaja, in the central section of the eastern shoreline. The berth is 51.5 meters wide, with a northern section length of 204.5 meters and a southern section length of 181.0 meters. It was originally constructed between 1972 and 1975 to serve as a mooring and service facility for Soviet Navy ships and submarines. Today, the berth is used for regular ferry operations on the Liepaja–Travemünde (Germany) route and is subject to heavy loads caused by vessel mooring and unmooring maneuvers using powerful ship engines.

Reconstruction and upgrading of the berth are necessary, as the Liepaja SEZ Authority continuously faces structural defects and overall wear of the berth, which, despite ongoing maintenance works, have irreversibly deteriorated its technical condition and operational safety.