Laivų krovos akcinė bendrovė "KLAIPĖDOS SMELTĖ"

Laivų krovos akcinė bendrovė "KLAIPĖDOS SMELTĖ" (commonly known as Klaipėdos Smeltė) is a stevedoring and container terminal operator based in the Port of Klaipėda, Lithuania. The company provides marine cargo handling, storage, and related logistics services for containerized, Ro-Ro, and general/project cargo. It is one of the principal terminal operators in Klaipėda, serving international shipping lines and cargo owners across the Baltic region.

Company Overview

Legal name: Laivų krovos akcinė bendrovė "KLAIPĖDOS SMELTĖ"
Common name: Klaipėdos Smeltė
Industry sector: Maritime logistics, port operations, stevedoring, container terminal services
Headquarters: Klaipėda, Lithuania (inside the Port of Klaipėda)
Founding date: The company’s origins trace to post-war stevedoring operations in Klaipėda; the modern joint-stock company structure was established in the early 1990s during Lithuania’s transition to a market economy (exact legal re-registration date not publicly confirmed here).

Legal Information

Įmonės kodas (company registration code): Not publicly confirmed in the sources accessible here. For authoritative details, consult Lithuania’s Centre of Registers (Registrų centras) or Rekvizitai.lt.
PVM mokėtojo kodas (VAT code): Not publicly confirmed in the sources accessible here; available via Registrų centras or the company’s official disclosures.
Official website: https://www.ks.lt
Email address: A centralized public email address is not clearly listed in the sources accessible here; contact is typically handled via website contact forms or telephone.
Registered office address: In the Port of Klaipėda, Klaipėda, Lithuania (full street address not confirmed in the sources accessible here).
Main phone number: Not publicly confirmed in the sources accessible here; the Port of Klaipėda directory and the company’s website provide current contact channels.

Note: While Lithuanian companies typically publish their registration and VAT codes, the specific codes for this company were not verifiable in the sources accessible here. Users should verify via Registrų centras (public registry) or the company’s official website.

Business Operations

Main services:
- Container handling (ship-to-shore, yard operations, gate, and intermodal services)
- Ro-Ro operations (roll-on/roll-off cargo)
- General and project cargo handling (including heavy-lift and oversized units)
- Warehousing and storage (container yard and covered storage where available)
- Ancillary terminal services (documentation, customs facilitation, and port logistics coordination)
- Inland connections and forwarding via road and rail networks

Business model: Klaipėdos Smeltė operates as a port terminal and stevedoring service provider, generating revenue through handling fees, storage charges, and logistics services to shipping lines, forwarders, and cargo owners. The company integrates marine operations (vessel calls, quay handling) with landside operations (yard, gate, intermodal) to serve end-to-end terminal requirements.

Market position: Within Klaipėda, Klaipėdos Smeltė is a leading terminal operator with a strong presence in containerized cargo. The company benefits from Klaipėda’s status as an ice-free Baltic port with extensive hinterland connections into Lithuania and neighboring countries.

History

The entity’s stevedoring activities date back decades in Klaipėda’s port, evolving from state-run dock operations to a market-oriented joint-stock company in the early 1990s. As containerization expanded across the Baltic region, Klaipėdos Smeltė invested in ship-to-shore cranes, yard equipment, and hinterland connectivity to grow its container terminal capabilities.

In the 2010s, the company increased its focus on container handling, aligning with global liner networks serving Klaipėda. Strategic investment and modernization positioned the terminal to accommodate larger vessels and higher throughput. The company has been associated with international terminal investment and liner shipping interests (including MSC Group’s terminal arm, Terminal Investment Limited S.A. (TIL)), which supported capacity expansions and operational upgrades over time.

Key milestones (indicative):
- Early 1990s: Incorporation as a joint-stock stevedoring company following Lithuania’s economic transition.
- 2000s–2010s: Progressive modernization of quay infrastructure, acquisition of STS cranes, and yard expansion for containers.
- 2010s onward: Strengthened integration with global shipping networks, enhancing Klaipėda’s role in Baltic container trade.

Note: Precise dates for individual investments and corporate actions should be verified against official annual reports and port authority records.

Financial Information

Revenue: Detailed revenue figures are not publicly available in the sources accessible here. As a privately held Lithuanian joint-stock company, Klaipėdos Smeltė’s financials are typically disclosed to regulators and partners but not broadly published.
Funding rounds: Not applicable in the typical venture-financing sense; capital investments have historically been tied to terminal upgrades and strategic ownership support rather than public fundraising rounds.
Ownership structure: Klaipėdos Smeltė has been associated with strategic ownership by Terminal Investment Limited S.A. (TIL), the port terminal investment company linked to MSC Group, reflecting international investor participation in the terminal’s development. The precise shareholding breakdown should be verified via Registrų centras or company filings.

Leadership and Management

Key executives (vadovai): Names and titles of the current CEO/Managing Director and Executive Team were not publicly verifiable in the sources accessible here.
Board members: The composition of the board of directors is not publicly verifiable here. Lithuanian companies disclose board and executive information via official filings; consult Registrų centras or the company’s official reports for current names and positions.

Office Locations

Head office / terminal location: Port of Klaipėda, Klaipėda, Lithuania.
Additional offices: Not publicly confirmed. The company primarily operates within its terminal footprint at Klaipėda port.
Phone numbers: Not publicly confirmed in the sources accessible here.

Market Position

Competitors (in Klaipėda and Baltic region):
- KLASCO (Klaipėdos jūrų krovos kompanija)
- BEGA (AB Klaipėdos terminalas “Bega”)
- Klaipėda Container Terminal (KKT)
- Malkų Įlankos Terminalas (MIT)
- VPA Logistics and other specialized terminal operators

Market share: Specific market share data for containers and general cargo in Klaipėda is not publicly available here. Klaipėdos Smeltė is recognized as a leading container handler within the port, sharing the market with KKT and other operators.
Competitive advantages:
- Location in an ice-free deep-water Baltic port with robust hinterland connectivity
- Integrated container and general cargo handling capabilities
- Modern equipment and infrastructure investments (STS cranes, yard systems)
- Strategic alignment with global liner networks, improving service frequency and reliability

Recent Developments

Recent years have seen continued investments in terminal capacity, yard optimization, and equipment upgrades to meet growing container volumes through Klaipėda. Service enhancements tied to global liner networks (including MSC Group services) have contributed to stable call frequency and improved reliability for Baltic shippers. Public announcements regarding specific expansions, new equipment deliveries, or partnership agreements should be confirmed via the company’s website and the Port of Klaipėda news channels.

Contact Information

Website: https://www.ks.lt
Email: Not publicly confirmed; contact the company via the website or Port of Klaipėda operator directory.
Address (registered/operational): Port of Klaipėda area, Klaipėda, Lithuania (full street address not confirmed here).
Telephone: Not publicly confirmed here; consult the website or Port directory for current numbers.

Sources and References

Primary references used:
- Company website: https://www.ks.lt (overview of services and contact channels)
- Port of Klaipėda (Klaipėda State Seaport Authority) operator listings and news: https://www.portofklaipeda.lt
- Rekvizitai.lt (Lithuanian business directory for legal codes and contact details): https://www.rekvizitai.lt
- Terminal Investment Limited S.A. (TIL) group information (ownership context): https://tilport.com

Verification note: For authoritative legal details (Įmonės kodas, PVM kodas), executive names, and precise addresses/phone numbers, consult the Lithuanian Centre of Registers (Registrų centras) and the company’s official communications. Some specific data points were not publicly verifiable in the sources accessible here at the time of writing.