Volume of sea transport increased by 31 per cent year-on-year in March 2025

Release related to topics:Transport and tourism
release | Foreign shipping traffic 2025, March

Correction

The annual tables of foreign shipping traffic will not be published in connection with the release of 8 May 2025.
Read more about the correction

According to Statistics Finland’s preliminary data, the total volume of foreign sea transport was 8.0 million tonnes in March 2025. Sea transport increased by 31 per cent compared to March 2024 that slowed down due to labour disputes. Exports increased by 66 per cent and amounted to 4.1 million tonnes. Imports increased by 7 per cent and amounted to 3.9 million tonnes. A total of 0.8 million persons were transported in passenger traffic.

Key selections

  • The large increase in the volume of transported goods is affected by that labour disputes decreased the number of transported volumes in the comparison month, March 2024.
  • In March 2025, general cargo, oil products and crude oil were transported most in foreign shipping traffic.
  • Measured by the volume of goods transported, the largest ports in March were, in order, Sköldvik, HaminaKotka, Helsinki, Raahe and Hanko.
  • In March, there was most sea transport between Finland and Sweden, totalling 1.3 million tonnes.

General cargo transported most in foreign shipping traffic in March

A total of 1,4 million tonnes of general cargo were transported. Oil products, 1,1 million tonnes, and crude oil, 1,0 million tonnes, were transported second most.

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

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

A total of 2.4 million tonnes, or 30 per cent of all sea transports, were transported in containers and transport units. Altogether 1.4 million tonnes of goods were transported in transport units and 1.0 million tonnes in containers.

Most sea transport between Finland and Sweden in March

Combining imports and exports, most sea transport took place between Finland and Sweden in March, totalling 1.3 million tonnes. Most goods were imported from Norway, 0.9 million tonnes and most were exported to Germany, 0.7 million tonnes.

A total of 0.8 million persons were transported in passenger traffic

A total of 0.8 million persons were transported in passenger traffic in March 2025. In all, 450,647 persons travelled between Finland and Estonia, 342,319 between Finland and Sweden, and 10,166 between Finland and Germany. Compared with March 2024, the number of passengers fell by 12 per cent.

In March 2025, 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 in 2025M03

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: 2025, March. ISSN=2670-2002. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [Referenced: 9.5.2025].
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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