Lithuania is linked to four ports in the United States — New York, Philadelphia, Norfolk, and Jacksonville — through the maritime route, which encompasses the Port of Klaipėda. The inaugural vessel on this shipping route arrived at the Port of Klaipėda on 26 March 2022. Cargo transported in containers makes the voyage from Klaipėda to New York in approximately 15 days.
“We highly value the increasingly collaborative efforts with the United States in the field of maritime transport. The connections between Klaipėda and ports along the eastern coast of the United States play a vital role in shaping emerging global cargo routes. The initiatives aimed at developing the southern section of the Port of Klaipėda and establishing an offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea present significant opportunities for enhancing cooperation as well,” says Minister of Transport and Communications Skuodis.
In the previous year, the shipping route with the USA facilitated the transportation of approximately 50,000 TEUs (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) of cargo to the Port of Klaipėda. Key exports in containers from the United States to Lithuania encompassed cars, frozen goods, and plastics. Conversely, furniture, peat, and plastics were among the exports from Lithuania to the United States.
“In today’s context, there is particular significance in fostering collaboration with distant ports, adapting cargo flow patterns, exploring diverse opportunities in new geographical and industrial areas, and promoting the Port of Klaipėda as a competitive and reliable provider of high-quality services. The port is undergoing a process of reorientation, presenting new challenges for cargo handling companies. These companies must be prepared not only to accommodate incoming cargo but also to ensure its retention within the Port of Klaipėda. Simultaneously, Lithuanian importers and exporters are being presented with fresh opportunities,” says Algis Latakas, the CEO of the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, currently accompanying the Lithuanian delegation on their visit to New York.
The cumulative maritime trade between the United States and Klaipėda resulted in the transportation of over 2 million tonnes of cargo to the Port of Klaipėda in 2022. Approximately half of this volume, amounting to slightly over 1 million tonnes, consisted of liquefied natural gas (LNG). By importing LNG, the United States has become one of the Port of Klaipėda’s top five direct shipping partners. Various types of goods, including fertilizers, petroleum products, iron and steel products, as well as containerised cargo, were also transported.
