Volume of sea transport increased by 15 per cent year-on-year in May 2025

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

According to Statistics Finland’s preliminary data, the total volume of foreign sea transport was 7.6 million tonnes in May 2025. Sea transport increased by 15 per cent compared to May 2024. Exports increased by 14 per cent and amounted to 3.9 million tonnes. Imports increased by 16 per cent and amounted to 3.7 million tonnes. A total of 1.2 million persons were transported in passenger traffic.

Key selections

  • In May 2025, general cargo, crude oil and oil products were transported most in foreign shipping traffic.
  • Measured by the volume of goods transported, the largest ports in May were, in order, Sköldvik, Helsinki, HaminaKotka, Raahe and Hanko.
  • The increase in the volume of transported goods in May is mainly affected by the unusually low crude oil transport volumes in the comparison month, May 2024.
  • In May, there was most sea transport between Finland and Sweden, totalling 1.2 million tonnes.

General cargo transported most in foreign shipping traffic in May

A total of 1.4 million tonnes of general cargo were transported. Crude oil, 1.0 million tonnes, and oil products, 1.0 million tonnes, were transported second most.

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

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

A total of 2.5 million tonnes, or 33 per cent of all sea transports, were transported in containers and transport units. Altogether 1.5 million tonnes of goods were transported in transport units and 1.0 million tonnes in containers.

Most sea transport between Finland and Sweden in May

Combining imports and exports, most sea transport took place between Finland and Sweden in May, totalling 1.2 million tonnes. Most goods were imported from Sweden, 0.7 million tonnes and most were exported to Germany, 0.7 million tonnes.

A total of 1.2 million persons were transported in passenger traffic

A total of 1.2 million persons were transported in passenger traffic in May 2025. In all, 644,736 persons travelled between Finland and Estonia, 487,577 between Finland and Sweden, and 13,771 between Finland and Germany. Compared with May 2024, the number of passengers increased by 3 per cent.

In May 2025, 32,557 passengers of foreign cruise ships arrived in Finland, which is 42 per cent more than in May 2024.

Tables

See key statistical data in the tables.

Foreign sea transport by port and commodity group in 2025M05

Database tables

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Updated database tables
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  • Country
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  • Port
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  • Commodity group
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  • Port
  • Country
  • Direction
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  • Country
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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, May. ISSN=2670-2002. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [Referenced: 7.7.2025].
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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