Katrinas str. 5a
LV-1227 Riga
Latvia

Tel. 371 7 329 224
Fax 371 7 830 215

E-Mail

On 21 November, 1996 the President of the Republic of Latvia declared the Law on Riga Commercial Free Port.

Owing to the specific economic regime within the Free port area - tax benefits, flexibility of customs regime, high level of autonomy of the administration - an advantageous business environment has been created that promotes attraction of foreign investment, development of trade, manufacturing and service spheres, as well as acquisition of modern technologies and personnel training.

Riga Commercial Free Port operates the only specialised terminal for container handling in Baltic States.

Operations within the Free port are free of several taxes:

• Cargo import into the Free port area from foreign countries and export to foreign countries is free from customs tax, excise tax and value added tax,
• Customs, value added and excise taxes are due only if the cargo arrives in the Latvian customs territory.

Riga Commercial Free Port occupies a land area of 438 ha. It is administered by the State Joint - Stock Company "Riga Commercial Port", which performs the following functions:

• Concludes land lease agreements with the companies performing entrepreneurial activities within the Free port;

Riga Commercial Free Port offers support of 41 portal cranes, 10 container cranes, and 2 floating cranes (35-100 t).

• Sets the tariff levels for the most important port services for the vessels using the berths under the RCP's possession;
• Concludes agreements with the companies for operating within the Free port.

There is no time limit for storage of goods at the Free port.

Law on the Riga Commercial Free Port permits the following business activities within the Free port areas:

• Cargo (goods) handling;
• Warehousing and Distribution services;
• Manufacturing and assembly (added-value) of goods;
• Rendering of services as a committed Free port licensed business activity.

In order to operate in the Free Port, it is necessary to receive a license and conclude an agreement with "Riga Commercial Port".

Riga Commercial Free Port looks forward to building upon the initial interest shown by potential investors and operators, to provide successful growth of the Free Port Concept into 1998 and beyond, providing a spring-board for JIT market and delivery opportunities into the Baltic States, Scandinavia and Western Russia and CIS.

Riga Commercial Free Port consists of 3 territorial regions. One region (Container Terminal) is specialised in handling of container cargoes, the second (Exporta and Andreja regions) handle bulk and general cargoes, the third, is the Riga Commercial Free Port Development Region, consisting of some 200 hectares.

The Riga Commercial Free Port is served by a fully developed internal road and rail network, and has green-field sites available for lease and development, both riverside and land side.

Cargo turnover through the Port of Riga area in 1997 amounted to 11,2 million tons, i.e., 22% of total cargo turnover through Latvia. As regards to dry cargoes transhipped through Latvian ports their portion has constituted 44%.

In the Port of Riga the first place, according the cargo throughput, is taken by the Riga Commercial Free Port operating companies - “Riga Central Terminal” Ltd., “Baltic Container terminal” Ltd., and “STREK” Ltd.

In 1997 in Riga Commercial Free Port handled in total 4,39 million tons, that constitutes 39,2 % from the total handled cargo amount in the Port of Riga.

Free Port Facilities

• number of berths - 21
• depth alongside - 6,5 to 10 m
• total length of quays - 3103,0 m
• warehousing - 74 464 sq. m
• open storage - 329100 sq. m

Support Facilities

• 41 portal cranes
• 2 floating cranes (lifting capacity 35-100 t)
• 10 container cranes
• 30 tug masters a wide range of other cargo handling equipment (front and side loaders, forklift trucks, etc.) is available marine service fleet (5 tugboats, 2 bunkering vessels, 1 oil tank vessel, 1 vessel for supplying potable water)

Main companies which are registered in Riga Commercial Free Port:
“Riga Central Terminal” Ltd.,
(Bulk, General and Ro-Ro cargoes)
“Baltic Container Terminal” Ltd., (Containers and Ro-Ro cargoes)
“STREK” Ltd.,
(Bulk cargoes)
“ROKO” Ltd.,
(Terminal cassettes, roll-trailers production and container repairs)
SC ”Riga 1st Cold Store”.
(Cold stores)