Procurement for the Reconstruction of Berth No. 46 at the Port of Liepaja Continues

The Liepaja Special Economic Zone (Liepaja SEZ) Authority is continuing the procurement procedure for the reconstruction of Berth No. 46 at the Port of Liepaja and, in accordance with the acknowledgement by an independent expert, has clarified the qualification criteria for potential bidders. The deadline for submitting tenders has been extended to 7 January 2026, accordingly.

To promote the development of cargo and passenger ferry lines serving the Port of Liepaja and to ensure uninterrupted cargo flows, the Liepaja SEZ Authority announced a procurement on 2 October 2025 for the reconstruction of Berth No. 46. There was significant international interest from potential bidders in carrying out the reconstruction works. On 19 November 2025, the Public Procurement Monitoring Bureau (IUB) received a submission challenging one of the qualification requirements regarding previous experience in similar construction projects.

To objectively assess the merits of the submission, the Liepaja SEZ Authority engaged an independent expert and based on the expert’s acknowledgement adjusted the qualification requirements - thereby expanding the pool of interested suppliers and appropriately extending the deadline for tender submission. As a result, the purpose of the Public Service Providers Procurement Law is upheld, ensuring equal and fair treatment of suppliers and avoiding restrictions on competition.

Ensuring regular ferry traffic is strategically important not only for Liepaja and Latvia, but also for the European Union’s economic and military mobility needs. Last year, the berth handled 1.8 million tons of cargo with an estimated value of approximately 4 billion euros.

The reconstruction of the berth will enable the safe simultaneous 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 include the installation of additional mooring piles, structural reconstruction of the berth, and increasing the water depth from 10.5 to 12.0 meters. To accommodate the newest and most modern RO-RO / RO-PAX ferries, the berth must also be equipped with a shore power supply system and local wastewater reception facilities. The reconstruction of Berth No. 46 is scheduled for completion by 31 December 2027.

Berth No. 46 is in the Freeport area of the Port of Liepaja, in the central part of the eastern shoreline. Its width is 51.5 meters, the northern section is 204.5 meters long, and the southern section is 181.0 meters long. The berth was constructed between 1972 and 1975 to accommodate and service Soviet Navy vessels and submarines. Today, it serves regular ferry traffic on the Liepaja–Travemünde (Germany) route and is subject to increased loads caused by berthing and unberthing maneuvers using powerful ship engines. Reconstruction is necessary because the Liepaja SEZ Authority is continuously confronted with construction defects and general wear of the berth, which - despite ongoing repair works - are irreversibly deteriorating its overall technical condition and operational safety.