Business news

MINSK, 11 March (BelTA) – Belarus and Lithuania are interested in increasing the volume of cargo transported via the Klaipeda port as much as possible. The relevant statement was made by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to Lithuania Alexander Korol in an interview with the Vecherny Grodno newspaper, the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told BelTA.

The Klaipeda port is central to Belarus-Lithuania transport and transit cooperation. “Today there is no doubt that both Belarus and Lithuania are interested in increasing cargo transportation via the Klaipeda port as much as possible,” stressed the Ambassador.

“We transship chemical and mineral fertilizers, oil products, metal products, mineral products, and solid mineral fuel. Chemical and mineral fertilizers represent the bulk of the Belarusian cargoes (71.7%),” he said.

Last year the Klaipeda port handled over 90% of OAO Belaruskali’s export via sea ports and the entire volume of export shipped by OAO Grodno Azot.

In order to reduce transshipping costs major Belarusian exporters are looking for ways to buy shares in the charter capital of the Lithuanian companies that operate port terminals. In April 2013 Belaruskali bought a 30% package of shares in a Klaipeda port terminal operator — ZAO Dry Bulk Terminal Company.

ZAO Belarusian Oil Company and the Lithuanian company Klaipedos Nafta have signed a long-term contract on transshipping furnace oil and other oil products made by Mozyr Oil Refinery and the Novopolotsk oil refinery Naftan. Intensive cooperation continues with companies that transport oil products via the Klaipeda sea port and are intent on the long-term transshipment of oil products made by Belarusian oil refineries, said Alexander Korol.