Sea freight volume in EU 2000-2019

The volume of maritime freight was steadily growing between 2000 and 2019, except for a dip in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis. The year 2019 saw the highest volume of sea freight transported in the recorded period, reaching some 979 billion tonne kilometers.

Leading European cargo ports

In 2019, the most seaborne cargo was handled in the ports in Rotterdam, Antwerpen, and Hamburg, making them the backbone of the maritime trade in Europe. Just the Port of Rotterdam alone accounted for nine percent of the total tonnage of cargo handled in all European ports.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus outbreak dealt a significant blow to the global economy, negatively affecting many industries and disrupting supply chains. The maritime transport industry was no exception. Container carriers have been facing port closures and congestions, leading to high numbers of skipped sailings and long waiting times at some ports. Moreover, freight rates have increased considerably since the beginning of the pandemic, leading to growing prices of consumer goods manufactured overseas.