Baltic and Eastern Europe ports could be perspective hubs for oil and gas deliveries from Canada
Freeport of Riga Authority (FPRA) says the Canadian province of Alberta government spokesman Mr.Mario Krpanhas recently visited the Port of Riga and met with FPRA representatives. The purpose of the visit was to get acquainted with Riga port infrastructure and cooperation options in regards of oil products, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) transportation and storage. M. Krpan is visiting the Baltic and Eastern European countries to explore oil, oil product, LNG and LPG markets in these regions and co-operation options for possible supply of these products to Europe from the province of Alberta in Canada.
Alberta is Canada's largest oil and gas mining location as well as oil and gas production place. Alberta is also the world's second largest natural gas exporter and the fourth largest producer. The provincial government plans to expand oil and gas exports and enter new markets in Europe, in addition to the traditional markets in North America. According to M. Krpan until now only small amounts of the province’s oil and gas products’ exports have been transported by sea. The government's target is to develop new models of cooperation and export, to search for partners and to develop the infrastructure so that oil and gas of the province of Alberta could be efficiently transported to the North American ports and afterwards by sea to the ports and markets in European countries.
According to Mr.Krpan judgement, the Baltic and Eastern Europe ports could be perspective hubs for oil and gas deliveries to ensure supply for the region and further transshipment to Europe. The provincial government considers those regions particularly promising for cooperation due to the fact that the energy policy of the Baltic States and other European countries is focused on reducing dependence on Russian energy supplies.
The guest from Canada visited the Freeport of Riga Harbour Master Office and was informed about Riga port infrastructure for handling, storage and transportation of oil products, LNG and LPG. The FPRA Marketing Department representatives presented the current situation at the port of Riga, where petroleum product transshipment volumes decreased due to Russian transport policy and low oil prices, and expressed readiness of Riga port to cooperate with the province of Alberta in implementation of oil and gas product supply projects. The meeting was also attended by the Ministry of Transport Transit Policy Department Director Mr.Andris Maldups and the JSC “Latvian Railway” expert in international and military matters Mr. Gundars Abols, who also confirmed readiness and intention of the Latvian side to participate in Canadian oil and gas product transportation projects in our region.