Rapid growth of cargo flows requires port facilities with larger capacity and space. In 2001 Klaipeda handled about 17 mln. tons of cargo and in 2008 it was 29,88 mln. t.
Larger tonnage vessels require the water depth – 17 m. Until 2002 40 000 DWT ships were coming to Klaipeda port, from 2007 - 100 000 DWT and in the nearest future - 150 000 DWT ships.
Intensified navigation of larger vessels in the inner port channel, requires more space within the port waters, therefore for safer and smoother navigation, vessel should be diverted to the outer avant-port.
Currently, the port expansion is limited by the city on land part, therefore the outer port expansion possibilities are being analyzed.
According to the prefeasibility study called “The Study on the Port Development Project in the Republic of Lithuania”, carried out by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the avant-port could have 6 terminals: oil, gas, dry bulk cargo, general cargo and 2 container terminals. The oil and gas terminals would be among the first ones to start the operations in the the avant-port.
The construction of such avant-port would give significant advantages to Klaipeda port:
It would allow accommodating the biggest tonnage tankers which can enter into the Baltic Sea;
It would reduce the intensified of navigation in the inner port channel and would increase navigation safety, as well;
It would allow to significantly expand the container handling sites, that is necessary due to rapidly growing containerization and container turnover in the eastern Baltic region.
