Logistics services in Latvia.

Latvia logistics overview: modes, trade and gateways

Logistics services in Latvia connect sea, air, rail, and road options for regional and international cargo. Container traffic through Latvian ports reaches about 491,000 TEU, supported by 5 seaports along a coastline of about 498 km.

Riga International Airport (RIX) provides scheduled air services and handled about 2.4 million tonne-km of air freight in 2023. Rail freight moved about 7.4 billion tonne-km in 2021 over roughly 2,216 km of track. Road haulage links Latvia with Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, and Russia for cross-border trucking.

Freight forwarders in Latvia work with a mixed transport system, including the ports of Riga, Ventspils, Liepaja, Salacgriva, and Lielupe and scheduled air services through Riga International Airport (RIX). Container lines with local offices in Riga include APL, CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, HMM, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, Maersk, ONE, OOCL, and X-Press Feeders.

Latvia’s Logistics Performance Index score is 3.5, with customs at 3.3 and international shipments at 3.2, compared with world medians of 2.7 and 2.8. When choosing freight forwarders in Latvia, check their experience with main trade partners such as Lithuania, Estonia, Russia, Germany, Sweden, and Poland, and their handling of EU trade requirements.

FCL and LCL shipping from and to Latvia moves through the main seaports of Riga, Ventspils, Liepaja, Salacgriva, and Lielupe. One port is classed as Large and two as Medium in the World Port Index, with cargo pier depths from about 3.4 m in Salacgriva to about 15.0 m in Ventspils.

Latvia handled about 491,000 TEU in 2024 and ranks 88th of 168 countries worldwide for container throughput. Liner connectivity (LSCI) stood at 10.35 in 2021, ranking 96th of 169 countries. In Riga, container lines with offices include APL, CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, HMM, Hapag-Lloyd, MSC, Maersk, ONE, OOCL, and X-Press Feeders.

Air freight in Latvia is concentrated at Riga International Airport (RIX), the only airport with scheduled services. Air cargo flows reached about 2.4 million tonne-km in 2023.

The country’s trade mix includes higher-value items such as broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine, and cars alongside wood, wheat, and natural gas. Air options are typically used for time-sensitive or higher-value goods within these categories, complemented by onward road or rail distribution in the region.

Rail and road freight in Latvia benefit from about 2,216 km of railway and extensive land borders. Rail moved about 7.4 billion tonne-km of freight in 2021, and some ports such as Ventspils and Salacgriva have rail connections directly to port facilities.

Latvia shares road borders with Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, and Russia, with frontier lengths of 161 km, 333 km, 544 km, and 332 km respectively. These crossings support regional trucking to and from neighboring markets and onward to seaports and rail hubs.

Customs clearance in Latvia operates within the frameworks of the World Customs Organization, where membership dates from 1992-06-22, and the World Trade Organization. Latvia is part of the EU and applies an average tariff of about 1.33 percent.

The Logistics Performance Index customs score is 3.3 versus a world median of 2.6, and overall LPI is 3.5 versus 2.7. Typical imports and exports clear in about 1 day for both directions. For smooth clearance, shippers should prepare at least a commercial invoice, packing list, and transport document matching the shipment details.