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Sea transport decreased by 3 per cent in September 2023

release | Foreign shipping traffic 2023, September

Correction

Database tables of the statistics on foreign shipping traffic corrected
Read more about the correction

According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, the goods volume of foreign sea transport was in total 7.0 million tonnes in September 2023. Sea transport decreased by 3 per cent from September 2022. Exports decreased by 6 per cent and were 3.5 million tonnes. Import volume remained nearly unchanged and were 3.6 million tonnes. Altogether 1.0 million persons were transported in passenger traffic, which was 68 per cent of the level before the corona pandemic.

Key selections

  • The volume of foreign shipping traffic totalled 7.0 million tonnes in September 2023.
  • Compared with September 2022, the volume of foreign shipping traffic decreased by 3 per cent in September 2023.
  • Altogether 1.3 million tonnes of goods were transported in transport units and 0,9 million tonnes in containers in September 2023.
  • In September 2023, altogether 1.0 million persons were transported in passenger traffic, which was 68 per cent of the level before the coronavirus pandemic.
  • No transport was registered through the Saimaa Canal in September 2023.

General cargo were transported most in foreign sea traffic in September

In September, the majority of sea transports were transports of general cargo. A total of 1.2 million tonnes of general cargo were transported. Imports of general cargo amounted to 0.6 million tonnes and exports to 0.6 million tonnes. The next most transported goods were oil products, 1.2 million tonnes, and crude oil, 0.8 million tonnes.

The most import-dominated types of goods were crude oil, coal and coke and ores and concentrates. The most export-dominated type of goods were sawn timber, paper and wood pulp.

Measured by volume of goods transported, the largest ports were, in order, Sköldvik, Helsinki, HaminaKotka, Raahe and Rauma.

A total of 2.2 million tonnes, or 31 per cent of all sea transports, were transported in containers and transport units. Altogether 1.3 million tonnes of goods were transported in transport units and 0.9 million tonnes in containers.

Of the goods transported in transport units, 0.7 million tonnes were transported in lorries and 0.5 million tonnes in trailers. In addition to the transport units used for goods transport, 156,168 passengers’ cars and 2,429 buses and coaches were transported.

A total of 64,744 containers were transported, which corresponds to 115,487 TEU units.

A total of 1.0 million persons were transported in passenger traffic

A total of 1.0 million persons were transported in passenger traffic in September 2023. In all, 534,236 passengers travelled between Finland and Estonia, 427,221 passengers between Finland and Sweden and 13,248 passengers between Finland and Germany. Compared with September 2022, the number of passengers increased by one per cent. Compared with September 2019 the number of passengers was, however, just 68 per cent.

In September 2023, 24,421 passengers of foreign cruise ships arrived in Finland, which was only 33 per cent of the level before the coronavirus pandemic.

Tables

See key statistical data in the tables.

Foreign sea transport by port and commodity group, 2023M09

Database tables

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Updated database tables
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Henna Ylimaa
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