The expansion of railways around the port of Klaipeda will enable the port to handle more than 50 million tons of cargo in 2015.
Opening up New Opportunities
The Lithuanian Railway Company has scheduled to invest another 244 million litas into Klaipeda railway junction development from 2011 to 2014. So far, the company has invested nearly 100 million LTL.
The railway breaks the port in two parts – northern and southern. In some cases, cargo “feeding” to the port by rail takes place from Rimkai and “Draugyste” railway stations, and in other cases, cargo is carried from Klaipeda railway station and Pauostis yard.
With the help of the EU funds, reconstruction of the port’s southern and northern parts of the railway is currently taking place.
Lithuanian Railway Development Department Director Virgilijus Jastremskas said that in 2015 it will be possible to handle 15 million tons cargo per year after the reconstruction of the southern part of the railway, and the northern part will be able to handle 35 million tons of cargo.
A Halfway Transformation of “Draugyste” Rail Station
Reconstruction of the railway overpass over Varnenu Street at Smiltyne Ferry II will be soon completed.
V. Jastremskas noted that it would be possible to open the second line to “Bega” company yet this year. It is only necessary to complete building a few meters of railway down Nemunas Street.
“Draugyste” Rail Station reconstruction has already gone half-way. Total amount of works carried out has cost 46 million litas. The completion of this facility is due in 2011.
Today, “Draugyste” Rail Station can take 1,254 cars per day. This is consistent with the needs. According to 2009 data, the stevedoring companies of the southern part would take 376 cars per day on average. After the reconstruction, the station will be able to take 2,247 wagons a day. In addition, the stevedoring companies’ handling capacity will increase to 1,971 wagons a day.
In other stations, restructuring takes place at a slower pace schedules. Technical project of Rimkai Rail Station reconstruction has already been prepared. The tender for contract works is scheduled for publication yet this year. The documents for Nemunas yard, located at “Klaipedos Smelte” have been prepared as well, and the contract tender is scheduled for announcement this year.
Later on, the rail electrical control system will be installed in the southern part of the port, in the territory of “Bega” company. This company is extremely important. About 50 percent of “Draugyste” Rail Station capacity has been already linked to “Bega” activities. The Head of the company Aloyzas Kuzmarskis predicted that its handling volume will increase by 60 percent.
Stepping in into the Forest
Four projects are planned to be implemented in the northern part of the port, with a total value of 212 million litas.
Klaipeda railway station will be equipped with additional noise-suppressing partition walls by 2013. At present, their future arrangement is being coordinated with the Municipality of Klaipeda.
The largest share of the money will go to the reconstruction of Klaipeda railway station and Angline and Pauostis yard.
V. Jastremskas noted that Pauostis yard reconstruction is particularly “sensitive”. In the meantime, the yard’s detailed planned hasn’t been prepared yet.
Another problem is that a part of the rail will step in into Giruliai forest. Forest lands cannot be used for the public interest. The Forest Act requires adjustments, and its amendment has been stalled in Seimas.
Pauostis yard reconstruction is of essential importance to the port’s operations. The station takes 450 wagons per day. Last year, “Klaipedos Nafta” and “Cargo Terminal” would be daily supplied with 405 wagons on average. After the reconstruction, the yard’s capacity would increase to 950 cars, and the capacity of stevedoring companies would grow to 830 cars a day.
Overpasses in the Future Vision
The port has long been talked about railways disrupting the flow of car traffics to the port companies.
Increasing rail freight flows to “Bega” company often result in traffic jams in Jurininku Prospectus.
“If we go back to the 2008’s cargo handling capacity, it’s hard to imagine that the flow of containers to our terminal would not be obstructed”, the Head of “Klaipeda Container Terminal” company Vaidotas Sileika said.
The blocking of the entry affects the company “Klaipedos Smelte”. The traffic flow to the West Ship Yard is being disrupted as well.
"I suggested building two-level crossings at the exits from the port long ago, but no one seemed to listen. It will cost more to build them today”, the Director of Klaipeda Municipality Urban Development Department Kastytis Macijauskas said.
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