The European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility’s funding for the project “Digital transformation of port management by improving the processing and analysis of transport and logistics data” aimed at the digitization of Latvian ports and logistics corridors was approved. The Freeport of Riga Authority is the Lead Partner of the project, and other project partners include the Ventspils Port Authority, the Liepaja Special Economic Zone Authority, the Ministry of Transport, VSIA “Latvijas Jūras administrācija”, SJSC “Latvijas Dzelzceļš”, SIA “LDz Cargo”, the SRS Customs Administration and the State Border Guard. The project will cost €3.24 million to implement while its maintenance and future development will be provided by the ports.

Ansis Zeltiņš, the Freeport of Riga CEO: “Digitalization and automation of port processes is part and parcel of the daily operation of a modern port, which by ensuring more efficient port operation increase its competitiveness. We are actively developing and investing in smart technology and IT projects at the Port of Riga, as well as cooperating with Latvian innovation companies and maintaining an active exchange of experience with European ports – innovation leaders: the ports of Rotterdam, Trieste, Stockholm and Plymouth. Thus we are able to be part of the smart technology community and to take the lead in this digitization project that is important for the Latvian transport and logistics industry”.

Every year, the Latvian logistics industry handles about 40 million tons of various cargo, which are shipped to/from Latvian ports by road, sea and rail. Not only shippers and consignees, but also carriers, stevedores, port authorities and control services – the SRS Customs Administration, the State Border Guard, the Food and Veterinary Service, etc., are involved in interstate and domestic cargo logistics processes. In the framework of the overall cargo logistics process, a huge amount of data and documents is being generated, the circulation of which in parallel with cargo traffic is conducted in several formats and involving various information systems. Furthermore, the necessary coordination of documents, as well as the collection and compilation of data from the logistics sector clients requires time and additional resources, resulting in a decline in the competitiveness of Latvian freight corridors.

In order to promote the digitalization of cargo documents and data circulation and to develop automation of port and logistics processes, an integrated sharing platform for the provision of multimodal cargo services for sea and land cargo is being developed under the leadership of the Freeport of Riga Authority, by ensuring data exchange with current information systems of national significance. After the project implementation it will be possible to significantly improve the speed of multimodal cargo movement, reduce the administrative burden and impact on the environment, as well as promote the competitiveness of Latvian freight corridors and the digital development of each participant.