They say ministers are expected to make the decision later in the day under the Transport Ministry's initiative. The move would come in response to Russia's started war in Ukraine, and it would also be aimed at ensuring Lithuania's security.
The ban to enter the seaport of Klaipeda and use its services and infrastructure would apply to ships under the Russian flag or otherwise linked to this country, or linked to natural and legal persons linked to Russia.
The port's management has been informed about the possible ban and is ready to implement it, Algis Latakas, the director of the Klaipeda Seaport Authority, told BNS.
"We have that information. This issue should be decided by the government today. In any case, we are ready for that, but the decision is necessary first," he said.
In a letter to the management of the port of Klaipeda and port-related organizations, seen by BNS, they are strongly advised to responsibly assess potential risks and cut all tries with the managers of incoming Russian ships and freight forwarders.
"We urge your companies and organizations not to issue permission to ships sailing with the Russian flag or ships registered, owned, controlled, leased or used by any natural and (or) legal person from Russia to enter the seaport of Klaipeda and use the port's services and infrastructure," the document reads.
"In response to Vladimir Putin's aggression against and war in Ukraine, we are inviting you to express a clear position that these ships ARE NOT welcome in the port of Klaipeda," the letter reads.
On Wednesday morning, one ship with the Russian flag was in the port, its data shows. It's Murman 2 that came for repairs.
Up until now, ships have regularly brought in LNG to Klaipeda from the Russian port of Vysotsk, where Russian company Novatek has its production facility. The Dutch-registered LNG carrier Coral Energy and the Liberian-registered LNG carrier Coral Fungia brought in Russian LNG in February. Lithuania's nitrogen fertilizer producer Achema has so far bought Russian gas.
There were no Russian ships at the customs post in the port of Klaipeda on Tuesday, the Customs Department told BNS.
"There are no ships with the Russian flag, being loaded or unloaded, in the customs post in the seaport," Vitas Volungevicius, head of communication at the department, said.
He also said there were still goods with Russian and Belarusian companies as sender or receivers at stevedoring companies' temporary storage facilities, adding, however, that their volumes have gon down since the sanctions for the two countries were introduced.