Although the City of Ventspils has the population of only 44 000, the Free Port of Ventspils has one of the largest cargo turnovers in the entire Baltic Sea region. This is how we made it possible...
In the 13th century, German crusaders established a settlement on the Baltic seacoast at the mouth of the Venta River. First they built a fortified castle and landing pier. Around the castle and pier gradually grew a city, today's Ventspils. A trade and merchandise centre between the East and the West, Ventspils has always been an important name in the map of the Baltic Sea region.
Historically, Venstpils was part of the Hanseatic League - an economic alliance of Northern European trading cities. During the 17th century, Ventspils became the leading port city and manufacturing centre in the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. Under the reign of Duke Jacob Kettler (1642-1682), huge resources were invested in the development Ventspils making it one the most modern ports in the Northern Europe. In 1795 the Duchy was annexed to the Russian Empire thus in the 19th century most of Russia’s imports and exports to Western Europe went through the port of Venstpils. Cargo turnover doubled following the construction of a new, Moscow-Ventspils railway line, which linked Ventspils to Russia’s extensive railway network. In 1950s Venstpils became the USSR's main export and processing centres of petroleum and chemical products.
Unlike other Baltic Sea ports Ventspils is ice-free all year round.
Today, the Free Port of Venstpils is a leading transit hub between the East and the West. It has developed a strong business infrastructure - a business incubator and a Special Economic Zone, clean and beautiful environment and a municipal authority with a future vision and aim to develop the city into a prosperous, safe and interesting place where to live and work.
The fact that the Ventspils Free Port remains ice-free even during the coldest winter months ensures non-stop cargo servicing at its various terminals. More than 1000 additional hectares of land are available for construction of new terminals as well as offices for businesses that choose to use the favourable conditions of a port area. The Free Port of Ventspils handles different types of marine cargo: petroleum and petroleum products, liquid chemical products, coal, metal, mineral fertilizers, as well as lumber and wood products as well as container and ro-ro cargos.
Recently, the harbour and shipping lanes of the Ventspils Free Port were dredged and deepened, making Ventspils the deepest port in the Baltic Sea. This allows the port to receive the largest ocean-going vessels that can enter the Baltic Sea – AFRAMAX type ships with the cargo capacity of up to 150 000 DWT.
The Free Port of Ventspils welcomes new enterprises to develop their business on the Baltic seacoast - construction of new port terminals, development of logistics and distribution centres, or setting up industrial production plants. Tell us what you want to do and we will provide the most optimal environment for your business needs!
