The Riga Free Port Authority announced plans to create new infrastructure for receiving passenger vessels and to improve the waterfront on Andrejsala.
The project will be implemented in collaboration with the Riga Ropax Terminal enterprise. According to Lursoft data, the company is linked to the families of former politician Andris Šķēle and current politician Ainars Šlesers, as well as to co-owner of Rietumu banka Leonid Esterkin, writes LSM+.
The Riga Free Port Authority explained that a contract was signed this week with the Tilts enterprise for the partial dismantling of the ED dam to realize the planned goals. The company will develop a construction project and carry out the dismantling, which is scheduled to begin in May of this year and be completed by early 2027. After that, the remaining part of the dam and the landscaped waterfront on Andrejsala will be opened to residents. The total investment is estimated at 4.88 million euros.
The Riga Free Port noted that the partial dismantling of the ED dam will be the first stage in creating modern infrastructure for receiving cruise ships and ferries at the Port of Riga — in the southern part of the Export Port.
Currently, the ED dam restricts the access of large vessels to the Export Port docks. Its dismantling will allow for expanded access to the water area, potentially creating a turning basin and ensuring safe maneuvering of large vessels at the docks.
Alongside the dismantling of the dam, this year the Riga Free Port Authority plans to deepen the water area. This will allow the first cruise ships to dock at the Export Port docks as early as the 2027 cruise season.
Bookings for vessel calls in the coming years show a steady growth in the cruise segment at the Port of Riga.
For the 2026 season, 97 cruise ship calls have been announced — a 13% increase compared to the previous year. For the 2027 season, the number of announced vessel calls exceeds 100.
With the partial dismantling of the ED dam and the phased commissioning of the Export Port docks in 2027, the problem of limited accessibility and capacity of the docks near the city center during the cruise season will be resolved. Currently, the passenger terminal can accommodate no more than two to three cruise ships at the same time — depending on their length and draft.
The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Riga Ropax Terminal enterprise, which plans to build a new passenger terminal at the Export Port that meets modern technological requirements.
This year, a tripartite agreement is expected to be reached between the Riga Free Port Authority, the Riga City Council, and the Riga Ropax Terminal enterprise regarding the scope and timeline of the project.
The Free Port noted that the new passenger terminal complex will not only serve cruise ship and ferry passengers in a modern and efficient manner but will also offer public commercial spaces and recreational areas for city residents and tourists. Modern infrastructure, including shore power connections for vessels, will help reduce air pollution levels in the city center and enhance the safety of the urban environment.
In the architectural sketch competition for the new passenger terminal building, the first place was awarded to the world-renowned London architectural firm Zaha Hadid Architects.
