Due to the changes in cargo logistics brought about by the Russian-led war in Ukraine, the cargo portfolio of the Port of Riga has changed significantly. With the decline in the handling of energy transit cargo (coal and oil products), containers have become the largest cargo group at the port. Container cargo turnover has been growing in parallel with the growth in container-related services.

One of the companies that is purposefully developing the container repair segment in the port is SIA “Rīgas Centrālais Termināls” (RCT), a member of the JSC “Riga Port” group. “Container repair services are highly standardised, regulated and monitored worldwide, as they are related to the safety of maritime transport. Our company operates in compliance with LIoyd’s Maritime Academy accreditation, which is trusted by container line operators. Containers are repaired to the high-quality standards set by LIoyd’s Maritime Academy. The container repair business is currently growing rapidly. Our customers, the container lines, choose RCT to repair their containers because they know that we will do everything to the best quality and in a short time, and at a lower price than at the big container ports of Western Europe,” said Andris Gabrāns, Commercial Director at RCT.

Demand for container repair services in Latvia is currently very high and continues to grow. This is driven by the shortage of empty containers for export, which is increasing as a result of various global logistics crises, from the shortage of containers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to the current conflict in the Red Sea, which is making it more difficult for containers to reach European ports. In times of container shortages, liner operators are forced to do much more repairs on old containers that they would otherwise have sold or scrapped.

“Every quality service developed by our entrepreneurs in the Port of Riga contributes to the Port’s competitiveness and positive visibility. At the same time, it creates new jobs and income for port companies, which is important right now when everyone in the port is looking for new business directions and strategies. In addition, giving new life to old containers promotes the circular economy, which is one of the Port of Riga’s strategic development areas,” stressed Ansis Zeltiņš, the Freeport of Riga CEO.

A certified repair service is particularly important for reefers (refrigerated containers used to transport cargo at a certain temperature), which are mainly used to transport food, fruit and frozen products. These containers provide possibility to regulate the temperature between +25°C and -35°C, as well as the air supply and ventilation. They are more sensitive to various external environmental factors and require more monitoring. In addition, only a certified repair company can prepare the container for shipment – setting the temperature and performing a standardised PTI (Pre-trip Inspection) test each time before loading.

A sea container contains around 40 to 60 different parts that can be replaced during a repair. The most common items are door handles, lifting lashings in the corners of the container, wall metal and floors. “We get the sophisticated components needed to repair reefer containers from the US, Japan and Germany, while the simple parts with little added value come from China. For the container floors, we use only moisture-resistant plywood produced by JSC “Latvijas finieris”, which is highly appreciated by our customers as one of the best materials in the world for this purpose,” added Mr Gabrāns.

Another promising area for RCT’s container repair service is the conversion and adaptation of old containers unsuitable for sea transport to other applications, giving them a second life on land. Containers are converted to individual requirements and become warehouses, garden houses, mobile offices and workshops. Reefer containers are particularly in demand as they can be converted into small, temperature-controlled mobile warehouses.