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To strengthen the development of strategically important offshore wind technology manufacturing in Latvia as part of the European Union’s supply chain, the Cabinet of Ministers decided on November 26 to invest €64,570,017 in the development of Riga Freeport infrastructure. These investments will create a green industrial area in Riga Freeport, enabling businesses to establish production facilities for offshore and onshore wind technologies and their components.
By developing a green industrial zone spanning 30 hectares in Riga Freeport territory, further business development and investment attraction will be facilitated in the port and its surrounding areas (covering a total area of 60–90 hectares). By developing the port area and leasing the constructed space to companies producing wind energy technology components, it is preliminarily estimated that exports worth €160 million will be ensured, 650 jobs will be created, and annual tax revenue of at least €7.8 million will be generated.
Investments in the development of Riga Freeport territory will focus on the following: construction of engineering networks, increasing network capacities, creating access roads and a railway crossing in the port area, constructing high-load capacity deep-water berths, establishing new logistics infrastructure or reconstructing existing ones, rebuilding and constructing shoreline reinforcements, and deepening and reinforcing the aquatorium.
Kundziņsala, located within Riga Freeport, is one of the most important multimodal hubs in the port, situated directly along the main shipping channel. Most of Kundziņsala consists of reclaimed land created from soil excavated during the dredging of the main channel. Currently, part of the area is underutilized, but appropriate investments in infrastructure development will enable its long-term adaptation for logistics and manufacturing purposes, fostering the establishment of facilities for clean, resource-efficient, and advanced technology production within Riga Freeport.
As part of the support program, the Riga Freeport Authority will ensure the infrastructure development of Kundziņsala, providing accessibility and leasing opportunities for businesses planning investments in offshore and onshore wind technology and component manufacturing.
By December 31, 2029, it is planned to develop logistics infrastructure across 30 hectares of the port area and support at least two companies leasing the developed territory. These businesses will focus on profitable investments in offshore and onshore wind technologies, aligning with the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) regulation. The goal of the STEP regulation is to reduce the European Union's strategic dependencies, promoting the transition of European industry to digital technologies, net-zero emissions, and the use of biotechnology.
Responsibility for maintaining the developed infrastructure will lie with Riga Freeport, which will ensure its sustainability by attracting an additional €40 million in private investments.
Detailed conditions for investments in Riga Freeport territory development can be found in the draft Cabinet of Ministers regulation “European Union Cohesion Policy Program for 2021–2027 Specific Support Objective 2.5.1: Investments Supporting STEP Goals.”