Finland’s Economic Growth Stabilising Based on Harbour Traffic

The Port of Helsinki Port Statistics demonstrate that the heaviest growth of international trade has slowed down and that ship travel is almost as popular as the previous record year.

- In cargo traffic, 2018 is becoming a record year for the Port of Helsinki, even though the heaviest growth has subsided during the year, says Ville Haapasaari, CEO of the Port of Helsinki.

The number of liner traffic passengers in Helsinki in January–September was 8.9 million (−1.6%). So people have embarked on sea trips almost as often as during the previous, record-breaking year.

The largest growth was in trips to Saint Petersburg (+7%), but the most popular route was still between Helsinki and Tallinn, with almost 6.8 million passengers (−2.0%). Traffic to Tallinn is affected by the lack of high-speed vessel traffic compared to the previous year, as well as the general rise of the price level in Estonia. On the Helsinki-Stockholm route, there were 1.8 million (−1.0%) passengers by the end of September.

Growth of international trade unitised cargo slowed down

During January–September, a total of 11.4 million tonnes of cargo was transported via the Port of Helsinki (+10.4%). Of this amount, 5.4 million tonnes was in import (+3.1%), and 5.9 million tonnes in export (+18.0%).

The growth of the amount of goods transported in containers has slowed down from the fast pace of the start of the year. By September, 282,000 TEU of goods had been transported in container units (+3.6%). In tonnes, the amount was 3.1 million (+5.7%).

The number of units transported on trucks and trailers in January–September was almost 456,000 (+4.3%). In tonnes, the amount transported by heavy traffic was 5.8 million (+2.5%). Unitized cargo, i.e. cargo transported in sea containers, lorries and trailers, is the largest cargo type at the Port of Helsinki. A large part of this consists of consumables. The Port of Helsinki is Finland’s leading harbour in terms of general cargo traffic.