«If no support is provided in the near future, the next half-year will be very difficult and many people will suffer,» said the chairman of Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LTRK) Jānis Endziņš.
Experts of the sea port sector met with candidates from political parties for the upcoming 14th Saeima elections to discuss the future of Latvia’s sea ports. The main topics included the sea port authority reform, the effect the ongoing crisis has had on preservation of critical infrastructure so far, the role of the sea port sector in Latvia’s development, as well as Latvian sea ports in the context of Europe.
The discussion was also attended by council chairman of Latvian Stevedoring Company Association (LSA) Āris Ozoliņš, chairman of Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LTRK) and director general of Latvian Employers’ Confederation (LDDK) Līga Meņģelsone.
During the discussion of the ongoing crisis and preservation of critical infrastructure, Ozoliņš stressed that the government has forgotten about stevedoring companies when developing support mechanisms for energy-intensive manufacturing companies.
Ozoliņš said stevedoring companies also fit in the energy-intensive manufacturing companies group, adding that the situation in this field is «completely absurd».
The chairman of LSA also said stevedoring companies are the most concerned about the prime minister’s previous statement that he sees no perspectives for the sea port transit sector.
Endziņš said such statements from the PM are erroneous because transit services are vitally important, adding that state support for stevedoring companies during a crisis is of critical importance.
«If no support comes soon, the next half-year will be very difficult, and many will suffer,» said the chairman of LTRK.
Endziņš also stressed during the discussion with politicians that the government should think about ways their decisions will affect companies’ export productivity, adding that this has not been a priority for the government so far.
Meņģelsone, on the other hand, stressed the importance of sea ports, adding that sea ports are no longer a location where freight is handled, rather a place of innovation, manufacture and development.
«It is important for sea ports to have not only infrastructure and entanglement with municipalities, but also the industry as well. The role of sea ports’ development is important for the industry’s development and vice versa,» Meņģelsone admitted.
After the end of the discussion, Minister of Transport Tālis Linkaits told BNS portal that Latvia has a strong association of stevedoring companies that is not only demanding, but also highly qualified.
«I am happy Latvia has a strong Latvian Stevedoring Company Association that unites all sea port-based entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs associated with the transit corridor,» said Linkaits.
The minister also said the sea port sector is one of the industries that has suffered the most from the pandemic, price fluctuations and the war in Ukraine.
Linkaits was positive of the fact that businessmen have been able to adapt to the changing flow of freight. However, he also said the situation in the transport sector is not interpreted in a wider context.
When asked if it is planned to provide support to companies during the ongoing energy crisis even if they did not qualify for it in the past, Linkaits could not provide a clear answer.
«I hope that with this offer, which suggests providing all companies equal support measures to limit prices of energy resources, we will be able to assist all sea port-based enterprises,» said the minister.
Seven ruling parties and associations of political parties (according to SKDS political parties’ ratings for August 2022) were invited to attend discussions with industry specialists. Attendees included politicians like Raimonds Čudars, Gints Sīviņš, Andris Morozovs, Uldis Auglis, Jānis Meirāns, Uldis Pīlēns, Viesturs Zeps, and Tālis Linkaits.
Latvian Stevedoring Company Association is a development-focused industry cluster that works on green energy projects, industry centre of excellence, actively looks for new value added services, develops new sea port infrastructure projects, manages Latvia’s and Baltic States’ exports through sea ports in Latvia, as well as creates new jobs.