RIGA, July 16 (LETA) - During the first six months of 2021 terminals operating at the northwestern Latvian port of Ventspils reloaded 5.835 million tons of cargo, which is a reduction of 14.2 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-June, liquid cargo accounted for 3.429 million tons, down 23.7 percent from the respective period a year ago. Handling of general cargo was up 2.7 percent on year to 1.325 million tons, and handling of bulk cargo was up 6.1 percent to 1.082 million tons tons.

During the first six months of 2021, Ventspils port handled 672 ships, which is three ships less than in the first six months of 2020. The vessels handled in the first six months of 2021 included 506 dry cargo vessels and 166 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.