COVID-19 Tests for Travellers are Available at the Central Klaipėda Terminal

Airports and seaports have been operating for more than a year under the COVID-19 pandemic. The Central Klaipėda Terminal (CKT), owned by the concern, operating ferry lines that link Klaipėda ports in Sweden and Germany, and was one of the first in the country to face challenges of protecting passengers and employees from coronavirus infection.

On February 26, the CKT was the first port in Lithuania to launch a certified Synlab laboratory. Passengers can take antigen tests there with pre-registration. Results are expected to be available in less than an hour. This will help ensure that German and Swedish requirements for a negative COVID-19 test result are met when travelling to these countries.

“The introduction of strict controls on passengers entering the Republic of Lithuania has presented us with new challenges. There was a time when ferries were one of the few ways for our compatriots to return to their home country. In the face of the pandemic, the health and safety of ferry crews, as well as the health and safety of CKT and KLASCO staff, had to be ensured. I am pleased that we succeeded,” says K. Grigalauskas.

In the spring of 2020, he said, passengers were given PCR tests on board the ferries only when they arrived at the port. This task was performed by the staff of the National Public Health Centre (NPHC) together with the Lithuanian Armed Forces.

Passenger car flows were distributed according to Lithuanian municipalities and escorted by police crews. Together with the Klaipėda City Municipality, the CKT had to organise buses to transport some passengers to nearby hotels where they waited for the test answers.

“Lately, we have been receiving instructions from the Minister of Health, the head of emergency state operations, just days before they come into force. In the meantime, in coordination with the NPHC, the border services, the ferry company DFSC, we must ensure their smooth implementation. Despite all these additional procedures, the staff delivered professional and timely loading services at the terminal. KLASCO and CKT employees deserve acknowledgement for this,” says K. Grigalauskas.

The introduction of various new requirements and restrictions has also changed the company’s operations. The company had to adapt to change and find effective solutions.

In order to ensure strict disinfection requirements, the company, with the approval of the Board of Directors, promptly installed an innovative indoor ozone disinfection system. It is capable of cleaning and disinfecting about 1 000 of common areas.

“The ozonation system not only disintegrates the cell walls of bacteria, viruses, fungi or mold, but also paralyses the respiratory system of insects and small rodents. It also prevents the spread of unpleasant odours. This system operates on the ground and the first floors of the passenger service and office building, in public areas,” explains the CEO of the CKT.

It is activated at night when the terminal is closed and there are no people in the areas to be disinfected. Before the building is opened, the disinfected areas are ventilated using a heat recovery system. In addition, the company has purchased a portable ozone unit for disinfection of premises of up to 100 square meters. “It can be used by our customers and tenants, for example, for urgent disinfection of buses or cars in addition to rooms. This modern terminal infrastructure is not only used by passengers, but also by customers renting office space in the terminal,” says the head of the CKT.