RIGA, June 16 (LETA) - During the first five months of 2021 terminals operating at the northwestern Latvian port of Ventspils reloaded 5.206 million tons of cargo, which is a reduction of 11.9 percent from the respective period a year ago, according to the information released by the Ventspils port.

Of the cargo handled by the port's terminals in January-May, liquid cargo accounted for 3.107 million tons, down 20.4 percent from the respective period a year ago. Handling of general cargo was up one percent on year to 1.094 million tons, and handling of bulk cargo was up 8.8 percent to 1.005 million tons tons.

During the first five months of 2021, Ventspils port handled 574 ships, which is eight ships more than in the first five months of 2020. The vessels handled in the first five months of 2021 included 427 dry cargo vessels and 147 tankers.

As reported, the Ventspils-based port terminals reloaded a total of 12.903 million tons in 2020, down 36.9 percent from 2019. This includes 5.91 million tons of cargo reloaded in the first five months of 2020.

Ventspils is Latvia's second largest port by cargo turnover.