Reconstruction works have begun on the oldest quays of the Port of Klaipėda, carried out by the transport infrastructure construction company Tilsta. Once the neglected quays in the city center are rebuilt and expanded, the new Klaipėda Cruise Ship Terminal will be established, enabling the port city to welcome significantly larger cruise ships.

How do you turn water into a solid foundation on which new port and terminal infrastructure can be built? This is the challenge faced by Tilsta – part of the The Fegda Group – which won the Port Authority’s tender for the reconstruction of Klaipėda’s quays.

Eduardas Grinaveckas, head of Tilsta, a company that has built the largest and most complex bridges, viaducts, and overpasses in Lithuania, says challenges don’t frighten them – quite the opposite:
“The more complex the project, the more interesting it is for us, because we have a professional team tested over time and decades of experience. We have been working in Klaipėda Port for many years – renewing and modernizing quays and other infrastructure. These are works in and by the water, which have their own specifics and complexities, and this is where our accumulated experience really proves useful,” says E. Grinaveckas.

Currently, Tilsta is reconstructing the oldest and previously neglected port quays. The project will significantly expand the quay area, creating the foundation for the new Klaipėda Cruise Ship Terminal and opening another public access point to the Curonian Lagoon.

According to project manager Mindaugas Kelpša, reconstruction in the port requires specific skills and experience:
“During the reconstruction, we will install a closed contour in the water using interlocked steel sheet piles and fill its interior with soil. The soil will be compacted, which will push out the water. This will expand the quay area. To ensure the strength and stability of the new ground, 25.5-meter-long piles will be installed. In this way, we will extend the port’s land area, creating a site for the new cruise terminal. The seabed near the quay will also be deepened, allowing larger cruise ships to dock,” explains M. Kelpša.

A New Attraction for the City

The steel piles needed for the reconstruction were transported by sea from Antwerp, Belgium – about 1,900 tons of these elements have already arrived, which makes up about 40% of the total required. For filling the quay contour, about 300,000 m³ of sand will be brought in.

Though the process is long and technologically complex, it is expected that the reconstruction will increase the total quay length to 900 meters, with works planned to finish in spring 2027. Importantly, the works do not interfere with the navigation channel, so ferry and ship traffic continues as usual. If weather conditions allow, work will continue even during the colder months.

Some phases of the project, especially those involving steel installation, temporarily caused higher noise levels, which drew some complaints from residents. Tilsta emphasizes that in the future, noisy operations will be carried out only during permitted hours.

The quay reconstruction is part of a larger, complex Port Authority infrastructure development program. It will not only enable the construction of the new cruise terminal but also lay the foundation for other important infrastructure projects. The goal is to make this port area open and accessible to the public, turning it into another attraction for Klaipėda’s residents.

Next year, construction is set to begin on a new building that will house the port’s management and control team as well as the Port Authority’s administration. The plan also includes pedestrian and bicycle paths, an amphitheater, spaces for events and exhibitions, commercial areas, and stairs leading to the water. A marina for leisure boats is also planned.

“We are proud to contribute to a strategic project important to both the city and Lithuania as a whole,” adds M. Kelpša.

The architectural and engineering solutions were prepared by Statybos inžinierių konsultantų biuras, Architektūros linija, and Devyni plius architects Gintaras Čaikauskas, Andrius Keizikas, Arnas Deltuva, Martynas Lukas, and Miroslaw Szejnicki. The new quay is designed as an integrated link between the Curonian Lagoon and the city center.

According to the project’s authors:
“This is not only the city’s gateway for ships – the quay will provide residents with direct access to the water, open a view of the unique Curonian Spit landscape, and strengthen Klaipėda’s image as a modern and open maritime city.”

The Port Authority emphasizes that the new cruise terminal will bring long-term social and economic benefits. It will enhance the city’s reputation as an attractive tourism destination and stimulate the growth of businesses focused on serving visitors.

“This terminal is more than infrastructure to attract cruise ships – it is an investment in the future. A modern, state-of-the-art terminal will attract both tourists and residents. It will become a place where people want to spend time, admire the view, enjoy leisure activities, and even create jobs,” says Algis Latakas, General Director of the Klaipėda State Seaport Authority.

Continuing Work in the Port

Tilsta has been carrying out infrastructure projects in Klaipėda Port since 2019. Last year, the company successfully completed the reconstruction of the New Ferry Terminal quays across the Curonian Lagoon, modernizing structures built more than four decades ago on both the Klaipėda and Smiltynė sides. Old ramps were replaced with modern hydraulic ones, and piers were widened and extended for greater passenger comfort and safety.

At the end of this year, Tilsta also completed the reconstruction of the southern and northern breakwaters at the port entrance.