The software development phase of Latvia’s large-scale port cooperation project, Digital Transformation of Port Management, was completed at the end of May, creating for the first time a unified digital platform integrating the core operational processes, geospatial data and digital services of the ports of Riga, Ventspils and Liepāja.
The final implementation phase is currently underway, supported by the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.
The project represents the first large-scale collaboration among Latvia’s three major ports and has produced four mutually integrated digital solutions: a Port Information System managing core port operations, a Port Community System providing customers with unified access to all port digital services, a Pass and Survey Solution, and a Geospatial Information Solution.
Together these systems create a unified digital ecosystem designed to promote more efficient data exchange, service delivery and cooperation among ports, government agencies and companies across the logistics sector, while strengthening Latvia’s port competitiveness within international transport corridors.
The Geospatial Information Solution encompasses three components: a Port Geographic Information System ensuring unified collection, storage, visualisation and analysis of spatial data related to port territories and infrastructure; an Automatic Identification System providing real-time vessel tracking and traffic monitoring in Latvian territorial waters; and an integration component enabling geospatial data exchange across the project’s information systems.
The AIS solution is already operational across all three ports, having entered test use at Ventspils in March and subsequently refined through continuous improvement. The system allows port authorities to view any vessel in Latvian territorial waters in real time, track its route and predict estimated arrival times, enabling more effective planning of harbour master operations.
Ainārs Austrums, Harbour Master of the Port of Ventspils, highlighted the system’s tailoring to the specific operational needs of his port alongside modern technological requirements.
Gints Ažēns, Harbour Master of the Port of Liepāja, described the AIS solution as a significant asset providing accurate real-time vessel movement information and substantially improving work planning capabilities.
Future plans include expanding the user base to other Latvian ports and extending the system’s geographic coverage to encompass all vessels sailing in the Baltic Sea.
Ansis Zeltiņš, CEO of the Freeport of Riga, described the project as historic for Latvia’s port sector, noting that the experience of combining knowledge, resources and expertise across institutions represents one of the initiative’s most significant benefits and a strong foundation for future collaborative development.
