Shipping cargo to Latvia. What methods of transportation are used for the export, import, and transit of goods from Latvia

Latvia is one of the three former republics of the Soviet Union that has already joined the European Union. Compared to the other two Baltic republics, Lithuania and Estonia, Latvia's economic achievements are not particularly impressive, but they are significant compared to the CIS countries. Latvia's GDP per capita is almost three times higher than that of Belarus and more than 50% higher than that of Russia.

The economy of Latvia is export-oriented. A large part of the export of goods and services goes to EU countries. In Latvian exports, services, as in all modern economies, account for more than half.

Geographical location and transport infrastructure

The capital of Latvia, the city of Riga, was once the center of the Hanseatic League, which was a precursor to all subsequent common markets. The presence of access to the Baltic Sea, which belongs to the Atlantic Ocean basin, provides the opportunity for global trade through Baltic ports. Historically, Latvia is an important transit corridor in international trade.

A powerful transport infrastructure has been created in Latvia to fulfill the functions of a transit cargo corridor. All modern modes of transport: aviation, water, road, and rail transport are represented in Latvia and are equipped with everything necessary for operation.

Road transport network

Latvia has a dense network of roads; however, the condition of the road surface is far from ideal. There are many potholes on the roads. The condition of the main roads, which are mainly used for cargo transit, is relatively decent, but in the global ranking of road conditions, Latvia did not even make it into the top hundred.

The total length of the country's roads is 72,500 km. Only about 15,000 km of roads have a solid surface. There are no toll roads in Latvia, but from early April to the end of September, entry into the resort area of Jūrmala is subject to a fee.

Air transport

Latvia is a small country in size. On its territory, there are 6 civil airports to service aircraft, 4 of which have international status. The international airports of Latvia are located in the cities of:

• Riga.
• Daugavpils.
• Ventspils.
• Liepāja.

When delivering cargo, aviation is considered an expensive mode of transport and is used only for urgent shipments. The aviation infrastructure of Latvia is capable of servicing such shipments.

Water transport infrastructure in Latvia

There are a total of 11 ports in Latvia. In addition to receiving scheduled vessels, Latvian ports also provide ferry services to Estonia, Russia, Germany, and Sweden. The largest Latvian seaports are located in the cities of:

• Ventspils.
• Riga.
• Liepāja.

The busiest among the ports of the Baltic countries is Ventspils. In particular, coal and oil are exported from Russia through it.

Latvian railway network

The length of Latvian railways is 2263 km, of which 259 km are electrified. Latvian railways, like those in other Baltic states, have a gauge of 1520 mm. The same gauge is used in CIS countries. This fact makes the Baltic republics, and Latvia in particular, attractive for the transportation of import and export cargo from post-Soviet states. The reason is that the European gauge is narrower, and cargo has to be transshipped on the way. When transiting through Latvia, this necessity is eliminated.

Export of Latvian goods

The main goods sold by Latvia in global markets are:

• Wood and products made from it, including charcoal.
• Electrical equipment and machinery.
• Other machinery products, including parts for nuclear reactors.
• Land vehicles.
• Oil and petroleum products. Latvia does not have its own resources; it involves the re-export of Russian and Belarusian products.