The Latvian Competition Council (CC) has received a merger filing from AS Stena Line Ports Ventspils regarding its plan to acquire sole decisive influence over Liepāja SEZ “TERRABALT” SIA. The notification was submitted on 10 November 2025. AS Stena Line Ports Ventspils is part of the Stena Line Holding BV group, a major international operator in maritime transport and logistics.
In Latvia, the Stena Line group is active in both cargo and passenger transportation. Its subsidiary AS Stena Line Ports Ventspils operates a multifunctional cargo handling center at the Port of Ventspils, primarily serving general cargo, bulk cargo, and Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax traffic. The company provides a range of services including storage, sorting, container and trailer handling, reefer container operations, and the processing of oversized or non-standard freight. Another group company, SIA Stena Line, supplies auxiliary water transport services in support of international short sea passenger and freight routes connecting Ventspils and Liepāja with European ports. Stena Line is also active in the road freight sector and other logistics-related services.
TERRABALT is one of the oldest ship agency operators in the Port of Liepāja. It works with European companies transporting passengers, general cargo, bulk cargo and Ro-Ro freight between Liepāja and the continent. The company also operates a multifunctional cargo handling center and maintains a Ro-Ro/Ro-Pax terminal.
According to the parties, the proposed transaction affects several markets, including short sea Ro-Ro and Ro-Pax freight transport between Sweden and the European continent on one side and the Baltic States and their inland border regions on the other. It also concerns short sea Ro-Ro terminal services in ports such as Klaipėda, Liepāja, Ventspils, Riga and Paldiski, as well as the road freight transport market within Latvia.
The Competition Council must reach a decision to clear, prohibit or conditionally approve the merger within one month of receiving the notification. If the authority determines that further analysis is needed, the review period may be extended to three months.
The CC has invited market participants and other interested parties to submit comments on the merger’s potential competitive impact by 5 December 2025.