Freeport of Riga: environment, passengers, social responsibility – three major areas for development

Interview with Edgars Sūna, Deputy CEO for Port Development, Freeport of Riga The Port of Riga unveiled its Development programme 2019-2028 at the beginning of this year. It will be based on a socially responsible policies, sustainable use of resources and care for the environment. An opportunity for us to discuss that with Edgars Sūna as a prelude to the AIVP Days that will be held in Riga on 6-8 June 2019. The Freeport of Riga Authority is an active member of AIVP since 2006! AIVP - Your Development Programme 2019-2028 was presented to the media and your partners in February. An important element is that you aim to reconcile competitiveness with respect for the environment. This was one of the reasons for relocating your activities from the city centre to Krievu Island. The move has been completed and the Krievu Island terminal has been operating since December. Can you remind us what led you to decide on this move, and the impacts you expected would result?? Edgars Sūna, Freeport of Riga - The decision to relocate dry bulk cargo handling activities away from the city center closer to the mouth of the River Daugava was taken as early as in 2005. At that time, the management of the Riga City Council and also the Port were inspired by numerous examples across European countries, including ports in Scandinavia, of the concept that historical, i.e., comparatively more degraded port infrastructures could be transformed into modern urban areas, thus, accommodating increasing needs of the city for more space, cleaner environment and ensuring its inhabitants with more direct access to the water front. Also, it should be mentioned that the booming real estate market at the time secured additional impetus for the start-up of the Project because of various potential investors’ visions for Andrejsala and Eksportosta territories. These ambitions gained public appreciation and also political attention and support. Finally, the dialog between the City and Port regarding future development priorities and needs of both sides resulted in an agreement that Port should leave the City center by means of expanding in its northern part, e.g., reclaim new lands and building brand-new infrastructure on the Krievu sala Island- a place without any infrastructure at all. The Port, on the other hand, seized this opportunity of public and political support to create modern and powerful infrastructure, the development of which would raise competitiveness and offer port’s customers better services. The placement of new dry bulk facilities on the Krievu sala, which is closer to the port’s entrance, reduces not only the environmental impact of port activities in the vicinity of the historic city center, but allows to reduce the negative impact on the whole - ships make a shorter route to the new terminals, so the environment is less affected. Even more - relocation provides substantial cost saving in dredging and maintenance of the main shipping fairway. So, without doubt, we can assert that the implementation of the Krievu sala Project, that we successfully completed in 2018, is a "win-win initiative" for both - the City and the Port. AIVP – What other major actions for sustainable development have you carried out and/or programmed? Edgars Sūna, Freeport of Riga - Truth to be told, sustainability measures as such are by no means any kind of innovation in the new Riga Port Development Program 2019-2028. Activities like monitoring of various environmental aspects, improving of environmental protection technologies, as well as administrative procedures on environmental matters within the Port Authority have been rather routinely…