![](https://dredgewire.com/wp-content/uploads/dredgemedia/thumb/1488260674_Klaipeda Seaport.jpg)
Posted on February 28, 2017
By Svilen Petrov, Maritime Herald
The authorities of Klaipeda Seaport approved its plan for maximum expansion to improve competitiveness. The plans for the Lithuanian port include extensive dredging, construction and reconstruction of quays, repair of railway tracks among other works. According to the plans the southern part of Klaipeda Seaport will be expanded by dredging the embankments in the territory of the Curonian Lagoon in the north through the establishment of the new territory in the Baltic Sea. The Port Authority is preparing a strategic assessment of the expansion and its overall plan, Klaipeda authorities in view of the plan prepared the general plan of the city.
“The port is the regional leader, which is a real delight. I believe we should remain a leader”, said the Lithuanian Transport and Communications Minister, Rokas Masiulis. “It is our only port, which we must develop, if we want to be a country undergoing good and fast development. We have to find the happy medium, so that our ambitions and some personal obstacles are not in the way”, added he.
Recall that two years ago, the port of Klaipeda began to serve ocean-going container vessels with a capacity of up to 12,000 TEU. Earlier the port was able to dock only container feeder vessels operating between the Baltic and the North Sea.
The port of Klaipeda is one of the few ice free ports in the region. It serves cruise ships as well as freight transport. Klaipeda State Seaport was established in 1991 after merging of commercial and fishing ports.
Source: Maritime Herald