Lithuanian Government Sets Stage for Klaipeda Port Offshore Wind Upgrade

On 2 December, Lithuanian government approved a draft resolution that would lead to the Port of Klaipeda being upgraded to accommodate facilities supporting offshore wind projects.

The resolution will create the necessary conditions for Klaipeda State Seaport Authority to invest in port infrastructure, which would be used for the production, assembly and storage of wind turbine parts and other components. The investment will also lead to creation of new jobs, according to the government.

Some EUR 483 million are planned to be invested into expansion of the Port of Klaipeda from 2021 to 2024, with co-financing from the EU structural funds. Most of this investment will be poured into construction and reconstruction projects of the quays and dredging works.

In October, Algis Latakas, CEO of Klaipeda State Seaport Authority, said that the port was also working on receiving financing for projects that would help develop shipbuilding and ship repair business, necessary for the region’s economic vitality, and to upgrade some of the current facilities in the port to house works related to wind farms.

The government informed about greenlighting the draft resolution as it announced EUR 7.5 million funding being allocated in preparation for the country’s first offshore wind tender, which will lead to Lithuania’s first 700 MW of installed offshore wind capacity.

Plans for the development of a 700 MW offshore wind project by 2030 were given the go-ahead this summer. The tender for the development of an offshore wind farm will be launched in 2023.