Klaipeda port would support evacuation while serving military needs

Klaipeda would face the dual challenge of evacuating residents and keeping its strategically important seaport operating in the event of a military threat, LRT reported, citing the ELTA news agency. The port could receive NATO allied forces and military and humanitarian cargo, while also helping coordinate evacuations by sea.

The city’s emergency plan sets out evacuation routes towards Palanga and Šventoji, Kretinga and Mažeikiai, Gargždai and Kaunas, and Šilutė and Tauragė. Klaipeda municipality says it could evacuate at least 25 per cent of permanent residents, prioritising people with disabilities, children under seven and older people receiving social care. The remaining 75 per cent would have to leave independently.

Municipal Civil Protection Department head Mindaugas Puškorius told ELTA that the main challenges would include infrastructure not designed for mass movement, a shortage of personnel and a lack of specialised transport for patients and people with disabilities. Police, members of the Lithuanian Riflemen’s Union, the military and other agencies would help manage traffic.

Port operations would shift to military needs

Klaipeda State Seaport Authority director general Algis Latakas said maintaining the port’s uninterrupted operation would be the priority during a war or other crisis. The port would not organise the evacuation itself, but would coordinate the movement of evacuees and their transport by ship with the city’s emergency operations centre and port terminals.

Before martial law is declared, the port would continue operating as usual while also handling military and humanitarian cargo. If martial law were declared, operations would be redirected to meet the needs of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Ship movements and evacuations by sea would be coordinated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre.

The municipality said the mayor’s decisions on evacuations during martial law would have to be agreed in advance with the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Further measures are included in the municipality’s classified mobilisation plan.

Evacuation plans tested in national exercises

National mobilisation exercises called Vyčio skliautas 2026, held in late September, tested municipalities’ readiness to evacuate residents. The exercises put the national detailed evacuation plan into practice, including resident alerts, assembly and registration, transport arrangements, travel along evacuation routes and the reception of people in other municipalities.

Klaipeda’s planning must combine evacuation arrangements with the continued operation of the seaport.