Lithuania

Lithuania has an extremely convenient geographical location with an easy access to 750 million consumer markets at its doorstep – the European Union and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It plays an important transit country role in the East-West and Adriatica- Scandinavia Transport Corridors and has established a well-functioning multimodal transport system. Lithuania is an attractive destination for investors with low interest rates, 15% corporate income tax, tax “holidays” in 7 free economic zones, 4 public logistic centres in major cities and 13,8 % of Lithuania’s GDP generated by transport and communications sector.

The country is an integral part of the continental TRASECA railway network enabling easy transportation of cargo from Lithuania to Asian countries, including China. Lithuania is crossed by two Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) corridors and 6 European motorways.

Lithuania offers an interoperable transport network of two railway gauges – Russian standard gauge (1520 mm) and European standard gauge (1435 mm), and a unique experience of 30 min for border crossing formalities at the EU and CIS border crossing with simplified administrative procedures of cargo documentation. Being the first between the Baltic States in constructing the European railway gauge, Lithuania already provides container reloading services from 1520 mm gauge to 1435 mm in Šeštokai terminal on the Lithuanian-Polish border. In few years, this capacity will increase significantly after intermodal terminal in Kaunas (Palemonas) will be connected to the European track railway. This route is seen as a complimentary solution for China-Europe trains to the existing route via Brest on the Belarus-Polish border.

Lithuania actively participates in implementation of intermodal railway transportation projects, which allows the country to be an important link of the global supply chain between Asia and Europe, ensuring competitive prices and continuity of transport and logistics services.

According to the Logistics Performance Index, reported by the World Bank every second year, in 2016 Lithuania ranked in the 29th position (a jump from the 46^th place in 2014).

KLAIPĖDA PORT is Lithuania’s largest transportation centre. It is situated at the crossroad of 2 international transport corridors and serves as a bridge between the markets of the CIS, the Asian regions and the EU.

Klaipėda Port is a multi-purpose ice-free deep-water port operating 24/7. 14 large stevedoring, shipbuilding and repair companies work and provide all maritime business and cargo-related services here. The depth of the port is 15 m. The Port has 33 specialized terminals, which allow it to handle all types of cargo. Over 7,000 ships call the port annually. The annual capacity of the Port is over 65 million tons. The port is capable of accepting large–tonnage vessels:

• dry-cargo vessels up to 100,000 DWT,
• tankers up to 160,000 DWT;
• containerships up to 12 000 TEU’s.

The Port can accommodate vessels up to 350 m in length and with a maximum draught of 13,8 m.  It maintains trade relations with 65 countries.

Cargo declaration, border and customs clearance is carried out electronically through the sophisticated IT systems. It accelerates freight transportation, facilitates stakeholders’ work and increases the port competitiveness.

International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code) is introduced in Klaipėda. The terminals of the Port operate in compliance with the ISO 9000 and 14000 standards.

After handling more than 40 mln tons of cargo in 2016 – the largest volume in its history – the Port has become the leader of the Baltic ports.

Acknowledging the significance of the Klaipeda Port in transportation and logistics chain, the Government is aiming to approve the Master Plan of Klaipeda Port by the end of this year.

This document draws the direction and boundaries of the future development of the Port putting forwards the ambitious scenario of implementing the new off-shore deep-water port.

Klaipeda Port Authority has already chosen a legal model of concession allowing for attracting external investments to the state-owned sea port and is solving formalities for approving the model on the state level.

Ministry of Transport and Communications of Lithuania