Total weight of goods handled down by 12% in 2009

After growing steadily between 2002 and 2007, the total weight of goods handled in maritime ports in the EU27 remained nearly stable at 3.9 billion tonnes in 2008. It then fell by 12% to 3.4 bn tonnes in 2009 as the result of the economic crisis. As for the sea transport of passengers, the number of passengers embarking or disembarking in maritime ports in the EU27 has remained relatively stable at around 410 million since 2003. In 2009 it fell by 2% to 403 mn.These figures are published in a report from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, on port activity for goods and passengers in the EU, as well as Iceland, Norway and Croatia.

The United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and France represent almost two-thirds of the total weight of goods handled. The Member States with the largest total weight of goods handled in maritime ports in 2009 were the United Kingdom (500 mn tonnes or 15% of the EU27 total), Italy and the Netherlands (both 470 mn tonnes, 14%), Spain (360 mn tonnes, 11%) and France (320 mn tonnes, 9%). These five Member States all registered a decline of between 10% and 13% in 2009, in line with the EU average.

Italy, Greece, Denmark and Sweden account for almost two-thirds of the total number of passengers handled. In 2009, the highest numbers of passengers embarking or disembarking in maritime ports were recorded in Italy (92 mn passengers or 23% of the EU27 total), Greece (88 mn, 22%), Denmark (44 mn, 11%), Sweden (31 mn, 8%), Germany (30 mn, 7%), the United Kingdom (28 mn, 7%), France (25 mn, 6%) and Spain (21 mn, 5%). For these Member States the change in the number of passengers between 2008 and 2009 ranged from -7% in Denmark and France to +2% in Italy and Germany.

Dover largest port for passengers. Among the top ten cargo ports in terms of tonnes of goods handled, Rotterdam (350 mn tonnes weight of goods handled, -10% compared with 2008) was the largest port in 2009, followed by Antwerp (140 mn tonnes, -17%), Hamburg (90 mn tonnes, -20%) and Marseille (80 mn tonnes, -14%). All of the top ten ports showed decreases in the total weight of goods handled between 2008 and 2009, ranging from -1% in Amsterdam to -20% in Hamburg. Dover (13 mn passengers, -5% compared with 2008) was the largest port in terms of the number of passengers disembarking or embarking in 2009, followed by Paloukia Salaminas and Perama (both 13 mn, -2%), Reggio Di Calabria (11 mn, +9%), Piraeus (10 mn, -6%), Messina (10 mn, +1%) and Calais (10 mn, -8%). 

News source: Eurostat link: publication