Lithuania proposes to include a railway connection with Klaipėda in the Trans-European Transport Network
Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Loreta Maskaliovienė, participating in the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (TTE) in Brussels, addressed the European Commissioner for Transport Adina Valean regarding the inclusion of a new European high-speed rail line link with Klaipėda in the core Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). According to the Deputy Minister, this would help to ensure better international interoperability of railway transport and competitiveness of the Klaipėda State Seaport, as well as increase the country’s integration into the European transport system.
“In order to connect by rail all the ports of the EU’s Baltic eastern coast and enable the population and cargo to reach the rest of Europe faster, it is especially important to include the European standard railway route to Klaipėda in the Trans-European Transport Network TEN-T plans. The construction of a fully electrified and environmentally friendly railway line from Kaunas to Klaipėda is one of the priorities of the Lithuanian transport sector,” said Deputy Minister Maskaliovienė.
According to the Deputy Minister, a European high-speed rail line to the Lithuanian port city would fundamentally change the Lithuanian transport system, create a promising alternative to road transport, and provide sustainable mobility opportunities for the residents of regions. The renewal, upgrading and development of the railway infrastructure are essential tools for achieving the objectives set out in the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.
Maskaliovienė also pointed out that after the implementation of the Rail Baltica project, the Klaipėda State Seaport – the fourth largest in the region – will become the only port of this size on the eastern Baltic coast, which cannot be reached by a European-gauge railway line.
The Deputy Minister noted that in the context of geopolitical factors and the ongoing pandemic, the Klaipėda State Seaport must be developed and expanded to meet the needs of the changing market, and the infrastructure must be oriented towards diversification of the port activities and environmental sustainability. In 2020, the cargo turnover of Klaipėda State Seaport reached about 48 million tonnes.
In September of this year, the Government of Lithuania approved the general plan of the territory of Lithuania. According to the Law on Territorial Planning, the Ministry of Transport and Communications must prepare a feasibility study for the European track to Klaipėda and other documents required for territory planning, land acquisition, design and construction.
The TTE Council, which discusses and adopts key decisions in the European Union’s transport, telecommunications and energy areas, took place on 9 December in Brussels.