Maritime freight transport in Finland plummeted in April

Maritime freight transport in Finland plummeted in April.

According to Statistics Finland's fresh data, the goods volume of foreign sea transport was in total 7.2 million tonnes in April 2021, which was 17% less from last year's April.

The fall affected both exports and imports, although it was much stronger in the latter.

Exports decreased by 9% and were 4.0 million tonnes. Import volume decreased by 26% and amounted to 3.1 million tonnes.

General cargo was transported most, in total 1.5 million tonnes, which is 20% 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, which is 16% less than in April 2020.

The number of containers transported was 65,730 (or 116,828 TEU containers).

Exports of containers went down by 17% measured in tonnes and imports went down by 12% year-on-year.

Vehicle transport

A total of 155,328 transport equipment were transported in foreign sea traffic in April. Most of them (59,063 units) were trucks.

The second most transported were passenger cars belonging to passengers, 53,576 and truck trailers, 39,020.

Passenger traffic

The only positive result came from passenger transport.

A total of 198,199 passengers were transported by sea in April. In all, 123,072 persons traveled between Finland and Estonia, 70,776 between Finland and Sweden 4,351 between Finland and Germany.

Compared with the rock bottom in passenger traffic caused last year by the pandemic, the number of passengers tripled in April. But compared with April 2019, the number of passengers was, however, just 14%.

In April 2021, no passengers of foreign cruise ships arrived in Finland.

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.