Volume of sea transport decreased by 11 per cent year-on-year in December 2024

Release related to topics:Transport and tourism
release | Foreign shipping traffic 2024, December

According to Statistics Finland’s preliminary data, the total volume of foreign sea transport was 6.8 million tonnes in December 2024. Sea transport decreased by 11 per cent compared to December 2023. Exports decreased by 14 per cent and amounted to 3.2 million tonnes. Imports decreased by 8 per cent and amounted to 3.5 million tonnes. A total of 1.1 million persons were transported in passenger traffic.

Key selections

  • In December 2024, oil products, general cargo and ores and concentrates were transported most in foreign shipping traffic.
  • Measured by the volume of goods transported, the largest ports in December were, in order, Sköldvik, HaminaKotka, Helsinki, Raahe and Rauma.
  • In December, there was most sea transport between Finland and Sweden, totalling 1.1 million tonnes.
  • No shipments through the Saimaa Canal were registered in December.

Oil products transported most in foreign shipping traffic in December

A total of 1.4 million tonnes of oil products were transported. General cargo, 1.0 million tonnes, and ores and concentrates, 0.6 million tonnes, were transported second most.

The most import-dominated types of goods were crude oil, timber as well as crude minerals and cement. The most export-dominated types of goods were sawn wood, paper as well as fertilizers.

Measured by the volume of goods transported, the largest ports in December were, in order, Sköldvik, HaminaKotka, Helsinki, Raahe, and Rauma.

A total of 1.9 million tonnes, or 28 per cent of all sea transports, were transported in containers and transport units. Altogether 1.0 million tonnes of goods were transported in transport units and 0.8 million tonnes in containers.

Most sea transport between Finland and Sweden in December

Combining imports and exports, most sea transport took place between Finland and Sweden in December, totalling 1.1 million tonnes. Most goods were imported from Norway, 0.9 million tonnes and most were exported to Germany, 0.6 million tonnes.

A total of 1.1 million persons were transported in passenger traffic

A total of 1.1 million persons were transported in passenger traffic in December 2024. In all, 639,802 persons travelled between Finland and Estonia, 403,473 between Finland and Sweden, and 9,498 between Finland and Germany. Compared with December 2023, the number of passengers remained almost at the same level.

In December 2024, no passengers of foreign cruise ships arrived in Finland.

Tables

See key statistical data in the tables.

Foreign sea transport by port and commodity group, 2024M12

Database tables

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Updated database tables
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Future releases

Documentation

Description of the production, used methods and quality of the statistics.

Go to documentation of the statistics

Referencing instructions

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Foreign shipping traffic [online publication].
Reference period: 2024, December. ISSN=2670-2002. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [Referenced: 7.2.2025].
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Statistical experts

Inquiries primarily

Henna Ylimaa
Senior Statistician
029 551 3832

Head of Department in charge

Hannele Orjala
Head of Department in charge
029 551 3582