Sea transport decreased in April

The goods volume of foreign sea transport was in total 7.2 million tonnes in April 2021. Sea transport decreased by 17 per cent from last year's April. Exports decreased by nine per cent and were 4.0 million tonnes. Import volume decreased by 26 per cent and amounted to 3.1 million tonnes.

Foreign sea Transport by month (tonnes) in 2019 to 2021

General cargo was transported most, in total 1.5 million tonnes, which is 20 per cent of all transport. The second most transported were ores and concentrates, 0.8 million tonnes, and paper, 0.7 million tonnes.

Container transport

A total of 0.9 million tonnes of containers were transported through Finnish ports in April 2021, which is 16 per cent less than in April 2020. The number of containers transported was 65,730 (116,828 TEU containers) ¹⁾ . Exports of containers went down by 17 per cent measured in tonnes and imports went down by 12 per cent compared to April 2020.

Vehicle transport

A total of 155,328 transport equipment were transported in foreign sea traffic in April 2021. Most transports of transport equipment were trucks. In April, 59,063 trucks were transported. The second most transported were passenger cars belonging to passengers, 53,576 and truck trailers, 39,020.

Passenger traffic

A total of 198,199 persons were transported in passenger traffic in April 2021. In all, 123,072 persons travelled between Finland and Estonia and 70,776 persons between Finland and Sweden and 4,351 passengers between Finland and Germany. Compared with the rock bottom in passenger traffic caused by the pandemic, the number of passengers tripled in April. Compared with April 2019, the number of passengers was, however, just 14 per cent. In April 2021, no passengers of foreign cruise ships arrived in Finland.

Vessel traffic and goods volume in the Saimaa Canal

A total of 60,393 tons of transport were registered through the canal in foreign traffic. Timber was transported most in vessels in foreign traffic, in total 22,426 tonnes. The second most transported were crude minerals and cement.

1) TEU, the basic measurement unit of container traffic, refers to one container that is twenty feet long, eight feet wide and 8.5 feet high.

Source: Transport and tourism, Statistics Finland

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

Head of Department in charge: Hannele Orjala

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Updated 07.06.2021

Referencing instructions:

Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Foreign Shipping Traffic [e-publication].
ISSN=2670-2002. April 2021. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 19.4.2024].
Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/uvliik/2021/04/uvliik_2021_04_2021-06-07_tie_001_en.html