Photo: The terminal will soon be able to start pumping water

On Wednesday, a delegation of Dutch businessmen inspected the terminal of SIA “Eipu”.

It has come to Latvia for the Baltic region’s largest wind energy industry conference “WindWorks. Connecting industries”, which is taking place today in Riga.

“UPTK” project manager Sandis Kirchners (from the right) says that the work on this project was a new test for the company, although it is not considered a complex object. “It is one of the largest and most interesting projects for us. One of the largest concreting works carried out in Liepāja so far was carried out here,” he says. Photo: Egon Sieverts

In Liepāja, near the water export terminal, the Dutch company “Van Oord” plans to build a support base for offshore wind farms and a large cargo terminal.

On the other hand, next to the Liepāja airport, the Dutch company “Fokker Next Gen NV” plans to create a production plant for hydrogen-powered passenger planes.

Most of the infrastructure of the terminal – pipelines, water storage tanks – is hidden under the surface layer of the earth, which is covered by grass. The representatives of the SEZ noted in advance that it will be an environment-friendly and people-friendly terminal that will not cause any kind of pollution – no smells, no noise, no dust. Photo: Egon Sieverts

The realization of these projects will take several years, meanwhile, the construction of the drinking water terminal worth several tens of millions of euros at 117 O. Kalpaka Street is in the final phase.

This is the first terminal of its kind in the world,

says Liepāja Special Economic Zone (SEZ) manager Uldis Hmieļevskis.

Its construction began in the summer of 2022.

The builders are busy to finish the work in the administration building, from the windows of which there is a wonderful view of the harbor and the sea. Photo: Egon Sieverts

The construction site reached less than four hectares, and during the construction work, the builders came across more than one “surprise” – both wartime mines and ammunition stocks.

In less than two years, a transformer substation, a container filling building, a water warehouse, an area for containers, roads and a parking lot with a hard surface, a fence were built on the territory next to O. Kalpaka Street and the Karosta Bridge.

Five pumps have been installed in the terminal pumping station, with which water will be pumped from the reservoir to the pier, where it will then be pumped into the ship’s holds. In ten hours, 40 thousand cubic meters of water can be pumped into the ship, which will be delivered to countries where this resource is lacking. Photo: Egon Sieverts

A pipeline leads from the nearby city water supply, through which water will be pumped underground into the reservoirs built partially below ground level.

Further, it will be delivered to the ships in the specially built pier through a wider pipeline.

It is planned that up to three million cubic meters of drinking water will be able to be exported from Liepaja during the year.