The Port of Klaipėda has started preparing the site for its southern expansion, a major development that will add new operational space and increase the Lithuanian port’s cargo-handling capacity.
The first construction stage will focus on southern breakwaters, with work due to begin this autumn. Lithuanian contractor Tilsta will carry out the project under a €24.5 million contract with the Klaipėda Port Authority.
The breakwaters will protect a new port basin and help reduce the inflow of salt water into the Curonian Lagoon.
The port authority has allocated nearly €600 million for the southern expansion under its 2026–2029 investment programme. Future terminal operators are expected to provide additional funding, potentially taking the total value of the development above €1 billion.
The new port area will accommodate bulk, container and ro-ro operations. The additional capacity is expected to create opportunities for new terminals and strengthen Klaipėda’s role in Baltic trade.
The project also has a strategic role for Lithuania. The new infrastructure is expected to support military mobility and logistics for Lithuania and NATO, as well as the country’s wider transport and energy security.
The southern expansion follows several years of planning and environmental assessment. Site preparation now marks the start of physical construction, with the breakwaters forming the first major stage.
