Record cargo flow!
A record amount of cargo was transported via the Port of Helsinki in 2018, even though the heaviest growth subsided during the year. A total of 14.7 million tonnes of cargo was transported via the Port of Helsinki (+3.3% compared to the previous year), which broke the previous record from 2008.
Of the total cargo traffic, 7.3 million tonnes was in import (-0.1%), and 7.4 million tonnes in export (+7.0%). The first quarter of the year was a period of heavy growth, after which the growth slowed down.
This was the first full year of pulp export from Metsä Group’s Äänekoski plant via Vuosaari Harbour, which also contributed to the record.
Cargo traffic in trucks and trailers towards Tallinn increased, totalling 4.2 million tonnes (+5.5%). In the summer, Rostock traffic was relocated away from Helsinki, and cargo traffic to Germany decreased by 7.1% from the previous year.
Cargo traffic
| Tonnes | 2 016 | 2 017 | 2 018 | Change % 18/17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unitized cargo | 10 565 000 | 11 884 000 | 12 012 000 | 1 % |
| Import | 5 019 000 | 5 527 000 | 5 597 000 | 1 % |
| Export | 5 547 000 | 6 359 000 | 6 415 000 | 1 % |
| Bulk product traffic | * 829 000 | 2 117 000 | 2 517 000 | 19 % |
| Foreign traffic | * 11 394 000 | 14 002 000 | 14 529 000 | 4 % |
| Coastal traffic | 227 000 | 244 000 | 185 000 | -24 % |
| TOTAL CARGO TRAFFIC | * 11 621 000 | 14 246 000 | 14 714 000 | 3 % |
| Containers, TEU | 451 000 | 491 000 | 510 000 | 4 % |
| Trucks, trailers and other, pcs | 528 000 | 587 000 | 590 000 | 3 % |
* Figure are not comparable to the next years since it doesn’t include the figures of Loviisa and Kantvik harbours.
Unitized cargo
Unitized cargo, i.e. cargo transported in sea containers, lorries and trailers, is the largest cargo type at the Port of Helsinki. A large part of this consists of consumables. In 2018, a total of 12.0 million tonnes (+1.1%) of it was transported via the Port of Helsinki. Import accounted for 5.6 million tonnes (+1.3%) of unitized cargo, while export accounted for 6.4 million tonnes (+0.9%).
Unitized cargo traffic 2018, TOP 3
| Million tonnes | |
|---|---|
| Estonia | 4.40 |
| Germany | 3.72 |
| The Netherlands | 1.15 |
The Port of Helsinki’s proportion of Finland’s unitized cargo traffic (in tonnes) was 28.7% (+0.2%).
Container traffic increased at a very fast pace at the start of the year, although the pace stabilised in the course of the year. During the year, a total of 509,500 TEU* of goods (+3.7%) was transported in container units, which was the all-time record for the Port of Helsinki. In tonnes, the amount was 4.0 million.
Of the tonnage of unitized cargo transported via the Port of Helsinki, 33.5% was transported in sea containers.
Trucks and trailers transported a total of 590 000 units (+2.8%). In tonnes, the amount was 7.6 million.
The percentage of rubber-wheeled traffic accounted for of the unitized cargo transported via the Port of Helsinki was 63.6%.
Dry bulk traffic
Coal is imported as dry bulk for Helen Oy via the Port of Helsinki. The amount of coal was a little over 1,000,000 tonnes, which was approximately 5% less than the previous year.
The total amount of cargo traffic transported via Kantvik Harbour, which is managed by the Port of Helsinki, was 312,000 tonnes (+0.5%). The traffic via Kantvik was strongly import-oriented. Import accounted for 305,000 tonnes (+1.4%) and export for 7,000 tonnes (-27.9%).
The total amount of cargo traffic through the Port of Loviisa, a subsidiary of the Port of Helsinki, was 756,000 tonnes in 2018, which was +14% more than the previous year. The amounts of export and transit in particular saw positive development, while import remained stable. The main exports of the Port of Loviisa are timber and grain, but the growth was at its largest in pulpwood, the export of which was over ten times larger than the previous year.
Break bulk
A total of approximately 590,000 tonnes of break bulk was transported via the Port of Helsinki. Most of it was pulp export from Metsä Group’s Äänekoski bioproduct mill.
* TEU = twenty-foot equivalent unit
Traffic in Vuosaari harbour
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Containers, TEU | 451 000 | 491 000 | 510 000 |
| Trailers and trucks | 201 000 | 205 000 | 224 000 |
| Ship visits | 2 036 | 2 075 | 2 100 |
| Passengers | 183 000 | 188 000 | 187 000 |