Estonia’s state-owned railway company, Eesti Raudtee (EVR), transported 10mn tonnes of cargo in 2023, which was 43% less than in 2022, ERR reports. The volume of transit freight totalled 2.1mn tonnes in 2023, compared to 9.5m tonnes in 2021. EVR’s commercial director, Arthur Raichmann, said that the biggest commodity groups were shale oil from Estonia…
Lithuania’s state-owned railway company, Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (LTG), has appointed Kristina Meide as CEO of its passenger train operator, LTG Link, for a five-year term, BNS reports. Meide will replace interim CEO Gediminas Seckus. LTG Link’s previous CEO, Linas Bauzys, was appointed CEO of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (IAE) in September 2023. Prior to her…
Latvia’s ruling coalition has agreed to ban imports of Russian and Belarusian grain, BNS reports. The coalition expects the parliament, the Saeima, to pass a bill on the ban in February 2024. Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze said that companies using Russian grain would be ineligible for state support. Also, the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD)…
Members of the supervisory council of Latvia’s state-owned passenger train operator, Pasazieru Vilciens (Vivi), have resigned, LSM reports. The company has come under heavy criticism because of recurring problems with new electric trains delivered by the Czech manufacturer, Skoda Vagonka. Vivi’s council chairman, Sandis Steins, insisted that responsibility for the problems was beyond the council’s…
Estonia’s state-owned Rail Baltic Estonia has signed a contract for construction work on the first section of the new Rail Baltica main railway line with TREV-2 Grupp and AllSpark, ERR reports. The 4.8-kilometre section runs from Tallinn’s Ülemiste railway station to Rae municipality. Construction work will begin in spring 2024 and is due to be…
Lithuania’s state-owned airport operator, Lietuvos Oro Uostai (Lithuanian Airports, LTOU), plans to invest another EUR 250mn in 2025-2052, according to a study drawn up by Dutch aviation consultancy NACO, BNS reports. Under the plan, LTOU would invest around EUR 180mn in developing Vilnius International Airport, EUR 50mn in Kaunas Airport, and EUR 20mn in Palanga…
The EU should ban the import and transit of grain from Russia and Belarus, Latvia’s Transport Minister Kaspars Briskens stated, LSM reports. He urged the Baltic States to adopt a joint position on the issue, whereas Latvia’s state-owned rail operator, LDz Cargo, insisted on the need for a common EU stance. When Estonia’s state-owned rail…
Latvia’s state-owned Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas (EDZL) has awarded a contract to build the Rail Baltica railway in Latvia to the European joint venture, ERB Rail Baltica, for EUR 3.7mn, LSM reports. ERB Rail Baltica was established by France’s Eiffage Génie Civil, Italy’s Rizzani de Eccher, and Poland’s Budimex. EDZL’s procurement commission excluded Türkiye’s IC Ictas…
Latvia’s total volume of passenger traffic by all modes of transport increased in the first half of 2023, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau, LSM reports. The number of passengers carried by land transport totalled 93.1mn, which was 22.9% more than a year earlier. Regular bus traffic carried altogether 52mn passengers, which was…