Maritime Statistics 2001

This report provides a substantial compilation of statistics about passenger and freight traffic through the ports of the United Kingdom (Part A), and about ships owned or registered in the United Kingdom, and about the world fleet (Part B). This is the latest volume of an annual publication, which has been produced by the Department for over twenty years

Several new tables on port traffic have been included for the first time this year. These are the first results from a new system for collecting detailed port freight traffic statistics which was introduced in 2000 to meet the requirements of an EC Maritime Statistics Directive (Council Directive 95/64/EC). Under the new system, shipping lines or their agents supply detailed quarterly returns of traffic loaded or unloaded at UK major ports (generally those ports with at least 1 million tonnes of traffic a year), which includes information about the port of origin or destination in the UK or elsewhere in the world, cargo categories, gross weight and numbers of units, and ship details. Major ports also supply quarterly totals of inwards and outwards traffic. Details of the new data collection system are given in Appendix A.

The new system provides the opportunity for producing new analyses including:

• traffic by country of loading or unloading
• traffic by flag of vessel
• traffic by nationality of ownership of vessel

Tables based on the above new features are included in Part A, sections 1 and 2.

The merchant fleet statistics in Part B are based on Lloyd's Register-Fairplay data supplied to the Department and contain tables of vessels of 100 gross tons and over. There are individual sections on vessels owned by UK companies, vessels registered in the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies, and on the world fleet.

Summary

Freight traffic through all UK ports in 2001:

Total traffic in 2001 fell 6.7 million tonnes (1 per cent) to 566.4 million tonnes, with inward traffic up 4 per cent to 328.9 million tonnes and outward traffic down 7 per cent to 237.5 million tonnes.

Imports through all UK ports in 2001 were estimated at 238.4 million tonnes, up 17.7 million tonnes (8 per cent) while exports were estimated at 180.4 million tonnes, down 12.7 million tonnes (7 per cent). Domestic traffic fell by 11.7 million tonnes to 147.6 million tonnes, down 7 per cent.

The volume of traffic through English and Welsh ports rose by 2 per cent to 363.2 million tonnes and 57.9 million tonnes, respectively. Smaller rises were recorded at Scottish and Northern Irish ports, which reached 130.5 million tonnes and 21.4 million tonnes, respectively.

Freight traffic through major UK ports in 2001:

Total freight traffic in 2001 for the 52 major ports (generally those with at least 1 million tonnes of cargo) was 549.5 million tonnes, comprising 97 per cent of all freight traffic

Fuels are the dominant bulk traffic cargo and accounted for 299.1 million tonnes (over three quarters of all bulk cargoes). Of this, crude oil accounted for 168.9 million tonnes, oil products for 82.6 million tonnes, liquefied gas for 8.1 million tonnes, and coal for 39.9 million tonnes.

Of the other identifiable cargoes, ores accounted for 19.6 million tonnes, agricultural products for 13.0 million tonnes, forestry products for 9.4 million tonnes, and iron and steel products for 9.8 million tonnes.

Of unitised cargoes, container traffic totalled 51.7 million tonnes and roll on/roll off traffic 83.2 million tonnes.

Leading ports in 2001:

Grimsby and Immingham remained the UK's leading port in 2001 handling 54.8 million tonnes, followed by Tees and Hartlepool with 50.8 million tonnes and London with 50.7 million tonnes. Fourth and fifth largest were Forth with 41.6 million tonnes and Southampton with 35.7 million tonnes. These five ports accounted for 41 per cent of all UK traffic.

Minor ports in 2001:

Traffic at 64 minor ports with some freight traffic in 2001 was 16.9 million tonnes (3 per cent of all freight traffic), which compares with 17.4 million tonnes for 65 minor ports in 2000.

Publication details

Published on 24 October 2002 by The Stationery Office (on behalf of DfT)
(previous editions of Maritime Statistics are still available from TSO).

Available from The Stationery Office virtual bookshop , or by telephone order on +44 (0)870 600 5522, or by fax on +44 (0)870 600 5533.

ISBN: 0-11-552558-0, £35

We would welcome suggestions for changes to Maritime Statistics that would help to improve its usefulness. Please contact Jeremy Grove, Zone 2/29 Great Minster House, London SW1P 4DR (telephone: 020 7944 4441) or e-mail: jeremy.grove@dft.gov.uk