Cargo traffic flowed through the Port of Helsinki at a good pace during the second quarter of the year, with the total cargo volume recorded between January and June being 7.1 million tonnes. Ship travel was busier than in the previous year, with the total number of passengers increasing to 4.2 million.

A total of 7.1 million tonnes of goods were transported through the Port of Helsinki from January to June (+0.4% compared to the same time the previous year). Of this amount, 3.2 million tonnes was in import (-0.5%) and 3.7 million tonnes in export (+1.8%).

Unitised cargo traffic* amounted to 6.2 million tonnes, increasing by 6.0% from the corresponding period of the previous year. Container traffic increased by 1.4% in terms of tonnes, while the increase in wheeled traffic** was 7.7%. 

The political strikes that took place in Finland in the spring nearly ground the container traffic through the Port of Helsinki to a halt for over four weeks.

“The Port of Helsinki has frequent shipping connections suitable for transporting lorries, so our customers were able to move goods that are normally transported in containers in lorries instead. This made it possible to keep moving goods to Finnish consumers and export customers during the strikes,” says Development Manager of the Port’s Cargo Unit Jani Lindroos.

“This spring showed that the Port of Helsinki’s position on the market is strong – after all, Helsinki is the natural choice for foreign trade transports from the regions of Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa, Häme, Central Finland and Savo. In these regions, trade accounts for a significant share of foreign cargo flows,” Lindroos concludes.

Passenger traffic increased towards the summer

Ship travel through the Port of Helsinki was busier than in the previous year throughout the first half of 2024, but did not reach pre-COVID levels.

“Ship travel is still a popular form of family vacationing. The attractiveness of Stockholm is enhanced by the cheap exchange rate of the Swedish krona, whereas the opportunities for tourism in Estonia are growing more varied every year. In contrast, the wind has not picked up yet for short entertainment cruises post-COVID. Culture is currently a bigger draw than revelry,” says the Port of Helsinki’s Vice President of Passenger Services Kaj Takolander.

“We have also made a determined effort at the Port of Helsinki to develop our port services, such as flexible parking options, in order to ensure smooth departures and returns for passengers. According to our measurements, this has already translated into an improved passenger experience, for which we are very pleased,” Takolander says.

A total of 4.2 million passengers travelled in scheduled passenger traffic from January to June, which is 4.8% more than in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The number of passengers recorded on the busiest route between Helsinki and Tallinn was 3.3 million (+4.6%). The capacity of the Stockholm route rose to normal levels in March, as Viking Line’s Cinderella returned to regular scheduled services between Helsinki and Stockholm after a twenty-year break.

*Most of the goods transported via the Port of Helsinki are unitised cargo for Finland’s foreign trade, i.e. cargo transported in containers, trucks and trailers.
** Wheeled traffic = goods transported by trucks, lorries and trailers.

Learn more:
Port of Helsinki Port Statistics January–June 2024

For more information, please contact:
Vice President of Passenger Services Kaj Takolander, kaj.takolander(at)portofhelsinki.fi, tel. +358 400 507 908
Development Manager Jani Lindroos, jani.lindroos(at)portofhelsinki.fi, tel. +358 40 505 5708