118 million tons of the freight was carried in transport by land and pipeline in 2019, which is a drop of 10.7 million tons (8.3 %) compared to 2018, when freight transport volume was the largest in the last five years.
In 2019, freights transported to and from Latvian ports accounted for 62.4 million tonnes, which is 5.7 % less than in 2018, when freight transport volume also at ports was one of the largest in the last five years, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia.
41.5 million tons of freights were carried in transport by rail, a decrease of 15.8 % compared to 2018. National freights by rail rose to 1.7 million tonnes – 25.2 % more. In international traffic the volume of freights carried by rail reduced by 8.1 million tonnes or 16.9 %. Freight traffic by rail to/from ports of Latvia fell by 19.7 %, their share in international traffic comprised 79.5 %.
73.8 million tons of freights were carried in transport by road, a decrease of 3.8 % compared to 2018. 55.8 million tons of national freights were carried, a drop of 4.7 %. International freights accounted for 18 million tonnes – 1 % less, of which export freight transport rose by 0.7 %, but import freight transport and cross-trade and cabotage in international road freights fell by 1.5 %.
2.7 million tons of oil products were transported by the oil products pipeline, a growth of 1.9 %.
In 2019, freight turnover at Riga port was 32.8 million tonnes, 10.1 % less than in 2018, 20.5 million tonnes or 0.6 % more – at Ventspils port, 7.3 million tonnes or 2.7 % less – at Liepāja port, but 1.8 million tonnes or 2.8 % less – at minor ports.
There were 52.9 million tonnes of freights shipped from ports, which was 7.3 % less than a year before. Volume of main freights shipped reduced. 31.9 % of freights loaded onto ships were comprised by coal. Its volume went down by 4 million tonnes (19 %). Oil products comprised one fifth (21.1 %) of freights shipped, which reduced by 0.8 million tonnes or 6.9 %. The volume of timber loaded decreased by 14.5 %, of freights in containers – by 2.8 %, of roll on/roll off – by 3.8 %, of mineral fertilisers – by 11.4 %, while shipping of grain and grain products rose by 14.4 %.
9.5 million tonnes of freight were unloaded at ports; the volume rose by 4 %. The volume of unloaded oil products grew by 19.4 %. Also, the volume of loaded freights in containers and roll on/ roll off increased slightly – by 0.5 % and 0.6 %, respectively.
Riga International Airport received and shipped 27.2 thousand tonnes of cargo, which was 3.6 % more than a year ago.
In 2019, a total of 239.2 million passengers were carried by land passenger transport, which was 1.3 % less than in 2018.