Posted on September 2, 2026
The Port of Klaipėda begins ground preparation before constructing breakwaters worth €24.5 million; the authority forecasts almost €600 million between 2026 and 2029 and seeks private investors to build new terminals in a strategic area of the Baltic.
Lithuania has initiated the largest expansion ever at the Port of Klaipėda, the country’s major seaport and the largest port in the Baltic States. Teams have started preparing the southern area, where a new port complex of approximately 100 hectares will be set up, with the total investment, including public funds and expected capital from future operators, projected to exceed €1 billion. According to the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, the initial works have already begun, and the construction of the new breakwaters is expected to advance in the European autumn of 2026.
The financial scale places the project among the largest investment projects currently under development in Lithuania.
The port authority alone plans to allocate almost €600 million for the expansion within its investment program from 2026 to 2029.
Additionally, private companies are expected to finance part of the future infrastructure and establish terminals in the new area.
Thus, the project combines maritime construction, dredging, and land development with a future round of private investments.
There is also a second dimension that has gained traction following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: military mobility.
The port authority’s CEO, Algis Latakas, states that the expansion aims to enhance not only competitiveness and investor attraction but also address relevant military mobility needs for Lithuania and the entire region.
Port of Klaipėda Starts with Ground Preparation Before Advancing over Water
The first phase has already commenced.
After this preparation, the maritime phase will begin.
The authority anticipates commencing construction of the southern breakwaters in autumn 2026.
These structures will form the first major physical work of the new complex.
Thus, the expansion follows a clear sequence:
This detail is important because the new port is not yet completed.
The project has just entered the construction phase.
Breakwaters Will Cost €24.5 Million
The company Tilsta won the bid to build the new breakwaters.
The contract signed with the port authority is valued at €24.5 million, excluding VAT.
These structures will serve a basic maritime engineering function.
They are expected to protect the port area from direct wave action and create more controlled conditions for future operations.
Moreover, Klaipėda attributes an environmental function to the project as well.
The new breakwaters are expected to help limit the influx of saltwater into the Curonian Lagoon, an ecosystem connected to the port.
Thus, a structure typically associated solely with maritime protection also enters the environmental strategy of the project.
