RIGA, Nov 19 (LETA) - The Liepaja Sustainable Industry Center could attract investments of more than EUR 4 billion between 2025 and 2035, the Liepaja Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Authority hopes.

Liepaja SEZ Authority's representative Liga Ratniece-Kadege told LETA that a statement on the establishment of the Liepaja Sustainable Industry Centre in the Liepaja SEZ has been signed to combine several private investment projects based on green energy, smart manufacturing and innovation.

According to Liga Ratniece-Kadege, the statement has been signed by private investors that will be implementing development projects: Van Oord, Euroports, Smulders, CIS Liepaja, GI Terminals, and Fokker Next Gen Latvia, as well as Liepaja SEZ Authority, Liepaja local government, the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) and Riga Technical University (RTU).

The joint statement aims to "put development projects high on the government's agenda by providing the necessary public support, both in the form of simplified procedures and approvals and by ensuring the availability of the necessary financial instruments and infrastructure investment". The Liepaja SEZ expects these projects to contribute to the sustainability of Latvia's economy, create new high-tech industries, boost the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and industrial development.

The project "Offshore wind energy support base and bulky cargo Terminal in the port of Liepaja" is planned to be implemented, creating infrastructure for the construction of wind farms in the Baltic Sea and for the deployment of bulky structure plants in the vicinity of the port's quays. The project will be implemented by Van Oord, Euroports and Smulders.

There is also a plan to create a hydrogen production facility and a terminal using renewable energy. The project will be implemented by CIS Liepaja.

GI Terminals, meanwhile, plans to build a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant to facilitate the aviation industry's transition to more environmentally friendly energy sources.

Fokker Next Gen Latvia plans to manufacture hydrogen-powered passenger aircraft at Liepaja Airport.

GI Termināls will build a CO2 export terminal to store and transport carbon dioxide emitted and collected from industry and energy.