The port of Lithuania has become an intermediate stop for Ukrainians: thousands of luxury cars are also transported

Vismantas Baršys, the director of the Association of Used Transport Dealers, assured that there is no need to be surprised when you see a line of trucks lined up one after the other with Ukrainian license plates on the highway. This kind of transportation of salvaged cars through our country has already become a daily routine.

According to him, after the closure of Ukrainian ports, Lithuania has become a real gateway or, in other words, a stop through which imported cars travel to Ukraine today.

“Ukrainians do not have their own port, they load goods at us, through our port. This is the closest point.

They buy cars from US auctions, they are crashed, they are not crashed, and then after passing through us, they take them to their country, fix them there, sell them,” he said.

According to him, a really large amount of vehicles are brought in this way, and the trawls are definitely not old cars.

“This is about 20-30 thousand. Cars costing EUR <...> It’s no secret that Ukrainians have money”, V. Baršys calculated. Tesla models can easily be found in them as well.

In response to demand, many new parking lots can be seen opening along the Palanga road. After the cars are unloaded from the port container, they are stored in special areas until they are reached by car carriers or trawlers.

“Now there is a lot of parking and storage. They pay 6 EUR for parking one car per day. The price is exorbitant,” he wondered.

According to the representative of the association, until Ukraine reopens its ports, the situation is unlikely to change.

“They don’t have to pay customs duties with us. They only pay for port works and other things and by bringing transport into Ukraine itself,” he says.

Vaidotas Šileika, president of the Association of Lithuanian Sea Cargo Companies (LJKKA), confirmed that the import is taking place quite quickly.

He testified that recently there has indeed been an increase in the flow of sea containers, which are mostly used or vehicles damaged in accidents.

“Per month, about several thousand containers with vehicles intended for the Ukrainian market are brought to the port of Klaipėda. The largest flow of them comes from the USA,” he confirmed.

About several thousand containers with vehicles intended for the Ukrainian market are brought to the port of Klaipėda per month. The largest flow of them comes from the USA

V. Šileika

As he testified, before the start of the war in Ukraine, cars were transported by sea to this Odessa, but later the situation changed.

“After the start of the war, the flow of these cargoes was directed to the port of Klaipėda.

“Cars brought to Klaipėda in containers are unloaded at special storage areas, and from there they are loaded onto trucks and transported to Ukraine,” he said.

Klaipėda territorial customs representative Neringa Bladykienė assured that in this case Ukrainian citizens do not have any tax obligations to Lithuania.

“Neither customs nor excise nor VAT taxes are applied to goods transported in transit.

If the goods were released for free circulation in Lithuania, there would be an obligation to pay customs duty and other taxes for them,” she said.

Goods transported in transit are not subject to customs, excise, or VAT.

N. Bladykiene

Luminor Bank economist Žygymantas Mauricas assured that Ukrainians who transport cars through Lithuania should not be treated unfriendly.

“We seek to integrate this country into the European Union and have signed a free trade agreement. Because of this, of course, there is a lot of dissatisfaction in other countries, especially regarding the export of agricultural products from Ukraine.

However, it must be understood that we will have such trade relations even after the end of the war, if integration into the EU is continued,” he said.

According to the economist, Ukraine is a huge country, and there is a need for both cheap and luxury goods.

“After the opening of their ports, it is not clear whether the flow to us will stop. These are goods of considerable value, so if routes are formed, it can continue and transit will remain,” he said.

Lithuanian dissatisfaction is possible, according to Ž. Maurico, already shows a fairly high level of Lithuania and being an old member of the EU.

“Such questions were also raised by the old EU countries when we joined the community. They told us to watch that the transport sector is under competition. <...>

I think that Ukraine is in such a position at the moment. <...> I think that there may be such inconveniences”, he said.

Finally, as he summarized, it is not necessary to expect that all of Ukraine is currently living in poverty.

All countries have people who live in different ways

Ž. Maurice

“In all countries there are people who live in different ways.

In part, this situation is even good. If those persons transport such machines to Ukraine, it is already a good sign. It is better for Ukrainians to drive luxury cars in Ukraine, instead of trying to find ways to escape from it,” said Ž. Maurice.