Klaipėdos Smeltė

What Klaipėdos Smeltė does

Klaipėdos Smeltė operates a container terminal at the ice-free Port of Klaipėda, Lithuania. Formally registered in 1991 (with operations traceable to 1928 and harbour opening in 1945), the company was acquired in 2008 by Terminal Investment Limited Sàrl (TIL), the terminal-investment arm of MSC Group. As the only container terminal in Lithuania fully owned by TIL, it serves as a strategic Baltic gateway for the world's largest container carrier. The terminal provides core container handling for vessels, trucks, and rail wagons, with installed capacity exceeding 1.15 million TEU/year and 2025 throughput of 824,000 TEU (8.65 million tonnes). It operates a 1,088-metre straight berth with 14.10 m draught (planned dredging to 16.50 m), five STS cranes with 65-tonne twin-lift, 17 RTG cranes, 32,000 TEU of storage, and 930 reefer plugs.

Complementing core stevedoring, Klaipėdos Smeltė offers Container Freight Station (CFS) stuffing and stripping, intermodal rail operations (Vilnius and Kaunas shuttles; up to 900 rail platforms/month; 1,520 mm gauge), oversized/project cargo handling up to 180 MT via two Liebherr MHCs (LHM 400/500) and reachstackers, and a third-party-operated cold store (Nordnix) with 6,500-tonne capacity. The in-house Crane Drivers' Training Center (operational since 2013) provides simulator and hands-on STS/RTG/MHC training in English, Russian, and Lithuanian to TIL group terminals and external port clients. Technology is layered around a TOPS Expert terminal operating system (migrated from TOPS Advance in November 2024), EDI for customer data exchange, the Visy Booking System (VBS) for truck appointments, an IPA prior-notification service at €4/container, and a Warehouse Expert (Made4Net) WMS at the cold store.

Commercial revenue is generated via transaction-based container handling fees set under bilateral agreements with shipping lines (MSC being primary), published CFS and ancillary rate sheets, a per-container IPA service, a €15 VIP Line express-truck fee, and commercial crane-operator training. Customer segments span shipping lines (MSC, Maersk, Weclines), freight forwarders and logistics companies, project/heavy-lift operators (including NATO military), cold-chain shippers, and rail operators (LTG Cargo). Certifications cover ISO 9001, 14001, 27001, 45001, and 50001 (DNV), with on-site customs and veterinary offices supporting cross-border and reefer logistics. The company is headquartered at Nemuno g. 24, LT-93278 Klaipėda, and employs 251–500 staff.

Name

Klaipėdos Smeltė

Legal name

Laivų krovos akcinė bendrovė "Klaipėdos Smeltė"

Website

https://smelte.lt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Klaipėdos Smeltė is the MSC/TIL-owned container terminal in Klaipėda, Lithuania, handling vessel, truck, and rail containers with 1.15M+ TEU annual capacity. It serves shipping lines (primarily MSC), freight forwarders, project-cargo operators, and cold-chain shippers across the Baltics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Container Terminal Services

NAICS

Marine Cargo Handling (488320), Port and Harbor Operations (48831), Other Warehousing and Storage (493190)

akta.pro primary industry

Reefer Container Terminals & Cold Plug Services (Reefer Yards) (TLAHAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Terminal Reefer Services (Plug-In/Monitoring for Refrigerated Containers) (TLAHALAM), Reefer Container Yards (Plug-in/Monitoring) (TLALAJAE), Reefer Container (Port/Intermodal) Cold Storage & Plug-In Yards (TLALABAK)

Keywords

• Container terminal services
• Intermodal rail operations
• Container freight station
• Cold storage logistics
• Heavy lift cargo handling

Headquarters

HQ city

Klaipeda

HQ country

Lithuania

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Container Terminal Handling Services: Loading/unloading of container vessels, trucks and rail wagons; storage of dry and reefer containers. Annual installed capacity exceeds 1,150,000 TEU. Revenue is based on negotiated bilateral rate agreements between shipping lines and the terminal.
2. Container Freight Station (CFS) Services: Container stuffing and stripping operations for freight forwarders and cargo owners. Fork-lift trucks with up to 16 tonnes lifting capacity handle steel products, palletized and baled commodities. Storage of commodities in open yards within bonded area is also provided.
3. Intermodal Rail Operations: Rail-road intermodal operations connecting sea, road and rail transport. Handles up to 900 platforms per month. Regular Vilnius Shuttle and Kaunas Shuttle trains. Revenue is incorporated into overall terminal service fees.
4. Oversized and Project Cargo Handling: Handling of heavy-lift and oversized cargo units up to 180 MT, including loading/unloading onto/from rail platforms, flat rack containers, specialized trucks, and lo-lo/project cargo vessels. Includes lashing, securing, and storage within bonded area.
5. Crane Driver Training Services: Commercial training programs for STS, RTG and MHC crane operators for other port companies on a commercial basis. Programs include simulator-based training, hands-on training, and periodical mentoring in English, Russian and Lithuanian languages. Available to TIL group terminals and external port companies.
6. IPA Prior Notice Service: Advance notification service charging 4.00 EUR per container (excl. VAT) for SMS/email alerts about planned and actual discharge times.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Klaipėdos Smeltė operates a modern container terminal in the ice-free Port of Klaipėda, providing loading and unloading of container vessels, trucks and rail wagons plus storage for dry and reefer containers at an annual installed capacity above 1,150,000 TEU. It complements this with intermodal rail operations, Container Freight Station (CFS) stuffing and stripping, cold storage for frozen fish and meat, oversized/project cargo handling up to 180 MT, and a commercial crane driver training center.

Product overview

Klaipėdos Smeltė is a modern container terminal operating as a unified platform with integrated service modules. The core offering comprises Container Terminal Services (handling vessels, trucks, and rail), supported by Intermodal Operations, CFS (Container Freight Station) Services, Cold Storage, and Oversized & Project Cargo Handling. Add-on services include the Visy Booking System (VBS) for truck appointment scheduling, IPA for advance vessel notification, and Rail Service Facilities Access. The Crane Drivers' Training Center provides specialized operator training for TIL group terminals and external clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Container Terminal Services Core container terminal operations: loading and unloading of container vessels, trucks and rail wagons; storage of dry and reefer containers with 32,000 TEU capacity and 1,088 m of quay for feeder and main liner vessels. Annual installed capacity exceeds 1,150,000 TEU.
• Intermodal Operations Rail–road–sea intermodal operations combining dispatch and receipt of containers, with capacity for up to 40 platforms simultaneously and up to 900 platforms per month. Includes regular Vilnius Shuttle and Kaunas Shuttle block train services using 1,520 mm gauge rail access on dock.
• CFS (Container Freight Station) Services Container stuffing and stripping operations for freight forwarders and cargo owners. Handles steel products, palletized and baled commodities in DV, HC and OT containers using fork-lift trucks with up to 16 tonnes lifting capacity. Includes 25,000 m² of open yard storage within bonded area, on-site customs office, and rail/truck access.
• Cold Storage Cold storage facility near berths No. 99/100 for frozen fish and meat products, operated by Nordnix. Capacity 6,500 tonnes across 10 chambers with a temperature range of -25°C to -18°C, 200 m berth for reefer vessels, annual throughput capacity above 50,000 tonnes, and certified by U.S. Army Veterinary and Rosselkhoznadzor for transit to Customs Union countries.
• Oversized & Project Cargo Handling Handling of oversized and heavy-lift cargo units up to 180 MT, including loading/unloading onto/from rail platforms, flat rack containers, specialized trucks and lo-lo/project cargo vessels. Uses 2 Liebherr MHC mobile harbor cranes (LHM 400 / LHM 500) with 104 MT hoisting capacity each and 5 reachstackers up to 45 MT. Includes lashing, securing and bonded storage within a 10,000 m² customs-supervised zone.
• Crane Drivers' Training Center Commercial training programs for STS, RTG and MHC crane operators delivered to TIL group terminals and external port companies in English, Russian and Lithuanian. Includes simulator-based training, hands-on training and periodic mentoring by certified instructors with 10+ years of industry experience. Programs have been delivered to terminals in Umm Qasr (Iraq), Lomé (Togo) and Naples (Italy) since 2013.
• Visy Booking System (VBS) Truck Appointment Service Truck appointment service enabling pre-registration of container delivery and pickup visits with 20-minute time windows (±10 min tolerance). Includes Steam VBS for frequent circular visits and a VIP Line option for unscheduled trucking orders at 15.00 EUR (incl. VAT).
• IPA (Incoming Prior Announcement) Service Advance notification service providing SMS and/or email alerts to freight forwarders and carriers about planned and actual container discharge times from vessels, enabling better pickup planning. Priced at 4.00 EUR per container (excl. VAT).
• Rail Service Facilities Access Customer access service for railway service facilities, enabling rail operators and shippers to manage rail operations on dock. Description available via the customer portal PDF.

Quantifiable outcome

• 824,000 TEU handled in 2025, including transhipment for Baltic neighbors
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• VISYmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2019VISY provided the truck appointment system (VBS) implemented at Klaipėdos Smeltė in 2019 to prevent truck waiting times at terminal gates and even truck flow throughout the day. The system allows truck drivers and freight forwarders to pre-register visits with 20-minute time windows.
• Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMSC is the world's largest container carrier and the ultimate parent group of Klaipėdos Smeltė through TIL. MSC is the primary shipping line served by the terminal, operating main liner and feeder services through Klaipėda. MSC resumed direct ocean carrier service to Klaipėda in July 2021 (NWC to IPAK string).
• Nordnix (UAB Nordnix)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNordnix operates the cold storage facility at Klaipėdos Smeltė (near berths No. 99/100), providing handling and storage of frozen fish and meat products since 1969. The cold store is certified by U.S. Army Veterinary and Rosselkhoznadzor. Klaipėdos Smeltė transfers reefer containers between storage plugs and cold store ramps.
• WeclinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWeclines is listed as a client and partner of Klaipėdos Smeltė, appearing in the 'Our Clients & Partners' section of the website.
• LTG CargominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLTG Cargo is listed as a client and partner of Klaipėdos Smeltė, appearing in the 'Our Clients & Partners' section of the website.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tallinna Sadam (Port of Tallinn): Estonian publicly-listed port operator with container, passenger, and dry bulk terminals. The most direct geographic peer for Klaipėdos Smeltė — both serve the Baltic container market with similar shipping line customers and are the principal container gateways of their respective countries.
• MedPort Tangier: Major TIL/MSC container terminal in Morocco and sister operation within the TIL network. Provides the most direct comparison in operating model, customer base (MSC), and TOS/operational standards for Klaipėdos Smeltė.
• Contship Italia: Italian container and intermodal terminal operator (La Spezia, Ravenna, etc.) part of the MSC/TIL group. Sister operation with identical ownership structure, making it the most direct European peer for operational and governance comparison to Klaipėdos Smeltė.

Broad incumbents

• Yilport Holding: Turkish-headquartered global container terminal operator with 25+ terminals in 11 countries. Comparable in container handling operations and serving global shipping line customers, with a similar mid-sized European terminal profile.
• ICTSI (International Container Terminal Services Inc.): Philippines-headquartered global container terminal operator with terminals in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Directly comparable in container terminal operations, with similar expansion-driven growth strategy in emerging and transitional markets.
• EUROGATE: German container terminal operator with locations in Germany, Portugal, and other European countries. Directly comparable in container handling services and shipping line customer base, including Maersk and MSC service contracts.
• APM Terminals: Maersk's global container terminal arm operating 60+ facilities. The most direct competitor to MSC/TIL's terminal network, serving Maersk's own vessels and competing for third-party shipping line traffic across the same European and global geographies.
• HHLA (Hamburger Hafen und Logistik): Major European port and logistics operator headquartered in Hamburg, with container, multipurpose, and intermodal services. Comparable in container handling and intermodal operations, though serving a much larger hinterland.
• PSA International: Singapore-headquartered global container terminal operator with operations across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Directly comparable in core container terminal services, though at much larger scale and broader geographic mix.
• DP World: One of the world's largest marine terminal operators with 80+ terminals across 30+ countries. Directly comparable in core container-handling business, though at vastly greater scale and geographic diversification than Klaipėdos Smeltė.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lkab-klaipedos-smelte-

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Klaipėdos Smeltė