Port of Klaipėda

Overview
The city of Klaipėda has been involved in maritime trade since as early as the 13th century, and probably during prehistoric times, since it is located on the Amber Trade Road and Baltic amber has been found in several northern European Celtic graves. The Vikings would have been interested in colonising such a place since they were a seafaring people. The Port of Klaipėda is a seaport located in Klaipėda, Lithuania, and has been run by the State Seaport Authority since 1991. It is, like Kaliningrad, one of the few ice free ports in what was the north of the former USSR. It is also the largest in Lithuania, handling more than 31 million tons of cargo in 2010. It serves as a port of call for cruise ships as well as for freighters. The port at Klaipėda can accommodate ships of up to 250 meters in length with draughts of up to 13.5 meters.