CSO: cargo turnover in seaports up 9.2 per cent

Last year, cargo turnover in Polish seaports increased by 9.2 per cent compared to 2020, the Central Statistical Office (CSO) said on Wednesday. Passenger traffic and the number of ships calling at seaports also increased.

– In international communication, there was an increase in cargo transported by the maritime fleet by Polish carriers and an increase in passenger transport. As at the end of 2021, the maritime transport fleet consisted of fewer vessels than the year before, which resulted in a slight decrease in their total carrying capacity and gross tonnage. The number of vessels in the Polish fishing fleet remained unchanged, while their total gross tonnage and engine power increased, the Central Statistical Office reported on Wednesday.

As reported, cargo turnover in seaports in 2021 amounted to 96.7 million tonnes, 9.2% more than in 2020. An increase in turnover was recorded in Świnoujście (by 13.7 per cent), Gdańsk (by 11 per cent), Gdynia (by 7.2 per cent) and Szczecin (by 3.4 per cent), while a decrease was recorded in Police (by 16.1 per cent).

Liquid bulk cargoes had the largest share in the cargo turnover structure – 30.9%. In the structure of cargo turnover, liquid bulk cargo had the greatest share – 30.9% (including crude oil and crude oil products – 25.6%), dry bulk cargo – 29.5% (including coal and coke – 25.6%), and dry bulk cargo – 29.5% (including coal and coke – 25.6%). (including coal and coke – 8.8%) and cargo in large containers – 23.9%.

As communicated by the CSO, in 2021, domestic maritime trade amounted to 4.1 million tonnes (47.1 per cent more than in the previous year) and accounted for 4.2 per cent of total turnover. A total of 92.6 million tonnes of cargo was handled in international maritime trade (95.8 per cent of total turnover), 8 per cent more than in 2020.

Transit cargo turnover also increased by 14.7 per cent compared to 2020, amounting to 14.4 million tonnes. Most transit cargo (80.4 per cent) was handled at the port of Gdansk.

The journey on ships began or ended in seaports with 2 million 316.5 thousand passengers – 21.6 per cent more than in 2020. Domestic traffic carried 552 thousand people (23.8 per cent), and international traffic carried 1,764.4 thousand people (76.2 per cent). Most passengers sailed to and from Sweden (share in international passenger traffic amounted to 95.3 per cent).

In 2021, 19.5 thousand ships called at Polish seaports – 10.4 per cent more than in the previous year.

– Compared to 2020, all average sizes of vessels decreased – deadweight (by 5.4 percent), gross tonnage (by 3.3 percent) and net tonnage (by 1.1 percent), GUS said.

As communicated, at the end of 2021, the maritime transport fleet included 88 vessels (7 fewer than in 2020), owned or co-owned by Polish shipowners and operators, and vessels under the Polish flag accounted for 17 per cent of the total number of units of the maritime transport fleet. In addition, the average age of a vessel in the maritime transport fleet was 18.4 years; for vessels flying the Polish flag, it was 41.1 years, and for those flying foreign flags – 13.7 years.

The coastal transport fleet at the end of 2021 consisted of 42 vessels – all flying the Polish flag. The average age of the vessels was 46.4 years.

Last year, as in the previous year, Polish shipyards built eight vessels with a total gross tonnage of 25.1 thousand and a compensated gross registered tonnage, a measure of shipyard productivity, of 42.8 thousand (compared to 32.2 thousand and 51.6 thousand, respectively in 2020).

On an annual basis, the order book decreased. As indicated, at the end of 2021, it included ten vessels with a total capacity of 0.7 thousand and an offset capacity of 3.3 thousand (a year ago, it was 11 vessels with a total capacity of 21.7 thousand and an offset capacity of 29.2 thousand respectively).

In 2021, Polish repair yards refurbished 455 vessels with a total gross tonnage of 1,704.1 thousand (the previous year, it was 444 vessels with a total gross tonnage of 824.5 thousand).

The state of the Polish fishing fleet has not changed – at the end of 2021, it numbered 823 units, comprising two trawlers and 124 cutters and 697 boats.

source: PortalMorski.pl