According to Minister of Transport Juras Taminskas, the project is more than just a building renovation – it is an investment in strategically important infrastructure for communication with the Curonian Spit and a higher quality journey for both local residents and city guests.
„One of my goals is the integration of Klaipėda port and ferry with the city, because how will the port function without the city and vice versa? It is important to attract citizens to spend time in these public spaces, as this is the closest way to reach the lagoon. I wish that this building would not only be an administrative building, but also become a center of attraction for Klaipėda residents and city guests,“ says Minister of Transport J. Taminskas.
I wish that this building would not only be an administrative building, but also become a center of attraction for Klaipėda residents and city guests.
Passengers will be the first to feel the changes
The reconstructed building, almost 2.5 thousand square meters in size, features a passenger waiting hall, which was not available at the New Ferry Terminal until now, self-service ticket terminals, and spaces adapted for people with special needs. The project was implemented in 33 months, its value is 13.8 million euros without VAT.
According to Algis Latakas, CEO of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, the project is also important in the broader context of port development – it shows that intensive port activity can be combined with a high-quality urban environment and spaces open to people.
„Smiltynės perkėla is an integral part of Klaipėda port. First and foremost, it is about people – about reliable, daily, and uninterrupted movement between the mainland part of Lithuania and the Curonian Spit. The New Ferry Terminal, still smelling of fresh paint, is an important step in providing higher quality services to passengers. It also becomes an organic part of Klaipėda port development – rising from the water in the central part
The Cruise Ship Terminal will connect foreign ships and people, while the New Ferry Terminal will invite for cozy daily rendezvous with the port. Today we can see how Klaipėda port is becoming even more open and convenient for everyone,“ says Algis Latakas, CEO of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority.
According to Mindaugas Čiakas, head of „Smiltynės perkėla“, during the implementation of the project, the main focus was on ensuring that one of the most important connections for trips to the Curonian Spit would be comfortable and accessible to all passengers.
„The goal is for the passenger’s journey to be comfortable from the moment of arrival at the ferry. The new station features a spacious waiting area, modern passenger service facilities, and spaces adapted for different people’s needs. These are changes that daily commuters and city guests will feel immediately,“ says M. Čiakas.
The renovated area has almost a hundred new parking spaces, four of which are adapted for electric vehicle charging. The building also achieved energy efficiency class A – before reconstruction, its energy class was F.
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According to M. Čiakas, although the total area of the building has decreased, the premises will now be used much more efficiently.
„We aimed not for a larger, but for a more functional building. The new layout allows for more efficient use of spaces, ensures better conditions for passengers and employees, and more purposefully manages building maintenance costs,“ notes the head of „Smiltynės perkėla“.
New public space by the Curonian Lagoon
More than 6 thousand square meters of the reconstructed territory are dedicated to public spaces. It features relaxation zones, green areas, and a ship departure terrace, offering panoramic views of the Curonian Lagoon, the port, and the Curonian Spit.
According to Klaipėda City Mayor Arvydas Vaitkus, the reconstruction of the New Ferry Terminal is important not only for passengers – the previously mostly functional port area is becoming a public space open to the city by the Curonian Lagoon.
„Klaipėda’s connection with water is an inseparable part of the city’s identity, so it is important that the coastlines are accessible and attractive to the public. With the renovation of the New Ferry Terminal, the previously mostly functional area gains broader significance – it becomes a full-fledged part of the city’s public spaces. This is especially important considering that this connection leads to the Curonian Spit – a unique, UNESCO-protected territory visited by thousands of people every year,“ says A. Vaitkus.
The building’s architecture also reflects the unique location of the New Ferry Terminal – the intersection of the industrial Klaipėda port and the UNESCO-protected Curonian Spit.
The modernization of the New Ferry Terminal has been consistently carried out since 2019. During this period, the car service area was reconstructed, new transport lanes and ticket offices were installed, the passenger-cargo ferry „Klaipėda“ was acquired, and the ferry loading and unloading ramps were renovated.
The opening of the passenger station completes an important stage of infrastructure renovation, but the company’s transformation does not end there.
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