Sea transport decreased in May

The goods volume of foreign sea transport was in total 7.2 million tonnes in May 2021. Sea transport decreased by 15 per cent from last year's May. Exports decreased by three per cent and were 4.2 million tonnes. Import volume decreased by 28 per cent and amounted to 3.0 million tonnes.

Foreign sea Transport by month (tonnes) in 2019 to 2021

General cargo was transported most, in total 1.5 million tonnes, which was 21 per cent of all transport. The second most transported were ores and concentrates, 1.0 million tonnes, and paper, 0.7 million tonnes.

Container transport

A total of 1.0 million tonnes of containers were transported through Finnish ports i May 2021, which was 3 per cent less than in May 2020. The number of containers transported was 68,725 (122,701 TEU containers) ¹⁾ . Exports of containers went down by 4 per cent measured in tonnes and imports went down by 2 per cent compared to May 2020.

Vehicle transport

A total of 185,328 transport equipment were transported in foreign sea traffic in May 2021. Most transports of transport equipment were cars belonging to passengers. In May, 79,550 cars belonging to passengers were transported. The second most transported were trucks, 61,564 and truck trailers, 40,803.

Passenger traffic

A total of 238,888 persons were transported in passenger traffic in May 2021. In all, 172,675 passengers travelled between Finland and Estonia, 105,226 passengers between Finland and Sweden and 5,987 passengers between Finland and Germany. Compared with the rock bottom in passenger traffic caused by the pandemic, the number of passengers doubled in May. Compared with May 2019, the number of passengers was, however, just 17 per cent. In May 2021, no passengers of foreign cruise ships arrived in Finland.

Vessel traffic and goods volume in the Saimaa Canal

A total of 154,052 tons of transport were registered through the canal in foreign traffic. Timber was transported most in vessels in foreign traffic, in total 85,814 tonnes. The second most transported were crude minerals and cement.

1) TEU, the basic measurement unit of container traffic, refers to one container that is twenty feet long, eight feet wide and 8.5 feet high.

Source: Transport and tourism, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Olli Kajava 029 551 3531, Matti Kokkonen 029 551 3770, olli.kajava@stat.fi

Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala

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Updated 07.07.2021

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Foreign Shipping Traffic [e-publication].
ISSN=2670-2002. May 2021. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 19.4.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/uvliik/2021/05/uvliik_2021_05_2021-07-07_tie_001_en.html