Volume of goods transported in domestic waterborne traffic grew by 22 per cent in 2022

Decrease in goods transport halted, as in 2022 the volume of goods transported grew by 22 per cent

In 2022, goods transport in domestic waterborne traffic totalled 6.4 million tonnes. The fallen transport volumes after the exceptionally lively years 2018 to 2020 started to rise as the total volume of goods transported increased by 22 per cent from the previous year. Ninety-two per cent of the total volume of transport was carried in vessels. Timber floating covered the remaining eight per cent of transport.

The volume of shipborne transport was 5.9 million tonnes and the volume transported grew by 21 per cent compared to 2021. The growth is mainly explained by increased transport of oil products and timber. They were also transported most in volume, because the transport of oil products covered 55 per cent and that of timber 19 per cent of domestic waterborne traffic.

Volume of shipborne goods transport in domestic waterborne traffic in tonnes by type of goods in 2019 to 2022

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The transport performance of domestic waterborne traffic was 2.8 billion tonne-kilometres and it grew by 0.4 billion tonne-kilometres from the year before. Ninety-five per cent of the transport performance came from shipborne traffic and 93 per cent from coastal traffic. Eighty-eight per cent of the total was transported in coastal areas. The transport is coastal transport if the port of departure or destination is situated on the coast.

Transport of timber grew by 42 per cent

In 2022, timber was transported both by floating and in vessels in domestic waterborne traffic. A total of 1.6 million tonnes of timber were transported. A total of 0.5 million tonnes were floated and 1.1 million tonnes were transported in vessels. The total transport of timber grew by 42 per cent compared to 2021. The volume of timber transported by floating grew by 29 per cent and that of timber transported in vessels by 48 per cent. In 2022, timber was floated only in the Vuoksi river basin.

Goods transport between Åland and Mainland Finland declined

A total of 253,833 tonnes of goods were transported between Mainland Finland and Åland in 2022. A total of 122,605 tonnes of goods were imported to Åland and 131,228 tonnes of goods were exported from there. In total, goods transport between Mainland Finland and Åland decreased by 17 per cent compared to 2021. The transport of timber decreased most, by 30,066 tonnes. General cargo, 93,957 tonnes, and oil products, 21,273 tonnes, were imported most to Åland. Most exports from Åland consisted of timber, 67,885 tonnes, and general cargo, 58,533 tonnes.

Goods transport through the Saimaa Canal practically stopped in early 2022

Russia's attack on Ukraine practically stopped goods transport through the Saimaa Canal in the early part of 2022. Before the transport stopped, 6,370 tonnes of goods were transported through the Saimaa Canal in domestic traffic, which is around six per cent of the transport during the year before when 102,896 tonnes of goods were transported. Most traffic through the Saimaa Canal comprises foreign traffic.

Passenger transport returned close to pre-pandemic levels

Altogether 4.3 million passengers were transported in domestic waterborne traffic in 2022. Of the passengers, 4.1 million travelled in coastal areas and 0.2 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, 2.7 million, and the passenger traffic performance was highest between Mainland Finland and Åland, 87 million passenger-kilometres. The total number of passengers increased by 29 per cent from 2021, and the number of passengers was still nine per cent lower compared to 2019 prior to the pandemic. Compared to 2021, the number of passengers in coastal areas increased by 29 per cent and in inland waterways by 23 per cent.

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