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Published: 26 May 2020

Transport in domestic waterborne traffic increased in 2019

The total volume of goods transported in domestic waterborne traffic was 10,520,212 tonnes in 2019. This covers both shipborne goods transport and timber floating. Transport increased by 39 per cent compared to 2018. The most transported goods were oil products, raw minerals and cement as well as metals and metal products. In absolute numbers, transport of metals and metal products and raw minerals and cement grew most. Ninety-six per cent of the goods were transported on board ships and the remainder consisted of timber floating. In addition to goods, 4.75 million passengers were transported in domestic waterborne traffic in 2019, of which 0.23 million in inland waterways and 4.5 million in coastal areas.

Volume of shipborne goods transport and floated goods in domestic waterborne traffic in 1980 to 2019

Shipborne goods transport

In 2019, the total volume of shipborne goods transport was 10,148,201 tonnes. Ninety-five per cent of this was transported in coastal areas. The transport is coastal transport if the port of departure or destination is situated on the coast. As in previous years, oil products were transported most, 3.5 million tonnes. The next most transported goods were raw minerals and cement as well as metals and metal products. The transport volume of both these types of goods increased by over one million tonnes compared to 2018. Transport of hard coal and coke decreased most.

Table 1. Volume of shipborne goods transport in domestic waterborne traffic by type of goods in 2017 to 2019

Commodity group	Year
	2017	2018	2019
Total	5,843,684	7,265,619	10,148,201
Timber	608,697	698,109	724,393
Sawn wood	9,043	4,071	4,259
Wood pulp	4,661	919	2,491
Paper	24,404	17,790	17,964
Plywood and veneers	1,047	1,733	3,645
Ores and concentrates	131,304	132,720	103,162
Metals and metal manufactures	392,645	694,226	2,346,376
Oil products	3,554,819	3,488,766	3,487,898
Coal and coke	155,155	368,460	209,126
Fertilizers	135,301	162,148	152,097
Chemicals	80,694	66,316	138,537
Crude minerals and cement	570,264	1,469,484	2,799,477
Cereals	7,162	1,980	7,136
General cargo	163,645	156,197	149,835
Other merchandise	4,843	2,700	1,805

The transport performance of domestic waterborne traffic was 3.1 billion tonne-kilometres and it grew by 0.2 billion tonne-kilometres from the year before. Ninety-seven per cent of the transport performance came from shipborne traffic and 96 per cent from coastal traffic.

Timber floating and shipborne transport

In domestic waterborne traffic, timber was transported both by floating and vessels. A total of 1.1 million tonnes of timber was transported. A total of 0.37 million tonnes were floated and 0.72 million tonnes were transported by ship. The transport of timber grew by six per cent compared with 2018. In 2019, timber was floated only in the Vuoksi river basin.

Table 2. Transport of timber in 2017 to 2019

Transport type	Year
	2017	2018	2019
Timber-floating	250,000	330,000	372,011
Shipborne transport	608,697	698,109	724,393
Transported volumes of timber	858,697	1,028,109	1,096,404

Goods transport between Åland and Mainland Finland

A total of 351,024 tonnes of goods were transported between Mainland Finland and Åland. A total of 132,413 tonnes of goods were imported to Åland and 218,611 tonnes of goods were exported from there. In total, goods transport between Mainland Finland and Åland grew by 124,913 tonnes compared with the previous year, most of which was caused by increased exports of timber. Most imports to Åland consisted of bulk goods, 87,000 tonnes, oil products, 32,000 tonnes, and raw minerals and cement, 12,000 tonnes. Most exports from Åland consisted of timber, 157,000 tonnes, and bulk goods, 52 500 tonnes.

Table 3. Goods transport between Åland and Mainland Finland in 2017 to 2019

Direction and commodity group		Year
		2017	2018	2019
Import	Timber	-	-	-
	Oil products	31,671	35,656	31,538
	General cargo	95,779	84,603	87,391
	Other merchandise	38,896	23,893	13,484
	Import total	166,346	144,152	132,413
Export	Timber	6,619	12,878	157,175
	Oil products	152	151	177
	General cargo	48,037	62,197	52,468
	Other merchandise	17,768	6,733	8,791
	Export total	72,576	81,959	218,611

Volume of transport through the Saimaa Canal

A total of 73,037 tonnes of goods were registered in domestic traffic through the Saimaa Canal in 2019. Raw minerals and cement, 49,962 tonnes, and hard coal and coke, 20,826 tonnes, were transported most. Compared with 2018, transport fell by less than one per cent. Raw minerals and cement, 54,571 tonnes, and hard coal and coke, 18,774 tonnes, were transported most also in 2018.

Passenger transport

Altogether 4.75 million passengers were transported in domestic waterborne traffic in 2019. Of the passengers, 4.5 million travelled on the coast and 0.23 million in inland waterways. The traffic recorded in the statistics includes both cruises and liner and ferry traffic. The number of passengers was highest in the area of the Gulf of Finland, 3.2 million, and the passenger traffic performance was highest in traffic between Mainland Finland and Åland, 93 million passenger-kilometres. Compared with 2018, the total number of passengers increased by three per cent.

Table 4. Passengers in domestic waterborne traffic in 2017 to 2019

Water basin	Year
	2017	2018	2019
Coasting and in inland waterways in total	4,546,869	4,616,156	4,754,780
Coasting in total	4,304,233	4,382,248	4,523,960
Gulf of Finland	2,875,142	3,044,188	3,197,655
Archipelago Sea	253,469	261,406	231,820
Traffic between the mainland and Åland	670,787	663,392	667,995
Åland	391,634	395,325	395,983
Sea of Bothnia	3,601	3,953	..
Bay of Bothnia	20,650	20,645	26,407
Inland waterways in total	242,636	233,908	230,820
Vuoksi watercourse	116,161	103,127	110,965
Kymi River watercourse	29,670	32,413	29,372
Kokemäki River watercourse	71,462	70,303	..
Ostrobothnias area	2,148	2,305	..
Oulu river and northern Finland	23,195	25,760	15,369

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1) .. = Data is subject to secrecy

Source: Transport and Tourism, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Matti Kokkonen 029 551 3770, Sami Lahtinen 029 551 3207, matti.kokkonen@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko

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Updated 26.05.2020