Cargo volumes at Tallinna Sadam decline 22% in Q3
Oct 11, 2019: In the third quarter of 2019, 4.3 million tonnes of cargo and 3.6 million passengers passed through the harbours of Tallinna Sadam. Compared to the same period of previous year, the cargo volume decreased by 22.1 percent mainly due to liquid bulk. The passenger volume increased by 3.5 percent. The number of […]
Oct 11, 2019: In the third quarter of 2019, 4.3 million tonnes of cargo and 3.6 million passengers passed through the harbours of Tallinna Sadam. Compared to the same period of previous year, the cargo volume decreased by 22.1 percent mainly due to liquid bulk. The passenger volume increased by 3.5 percent. The number of ship calls grew by 7.3 percent to 2290 calls. Cumulative cargo volume for 9 months decreased by 8.3 percent and the number of passengers remained at the previous year's level.
According to Valdo Kalm, chairman of the management board of the Port of Tallinn, the decline in liquid bulk is not extraordinary, as it is caused by the general decline in market demand for dark oil products due to increasingly strict requirements for reducing the sulfur content in marine fuels. “The competition in liquid cargo handling continues to be very intense and the business is project-based, therefore quarterly volumes are volatile. The 30 percent strong growth in dry bulk will partially compensate for the decline in liquid bulk,” Kalm explained.
The number of passengers increased in Q3 mainly due to Tallinn-Helsinki and Muuga-Vuosaari routes. In total, passenger traffic between Estonia and Finland increased by 96 thousand passengers or 3.5 percent. For the first time, Muuga-Vuosaari has been presented as a separate route in the figures below, as the service for passengers with vehicles started by Eckerö and Tallink in June has started up very well and passenger volumes have become statistically significant. Passengers between Estonia and Finland traveling to destinations further from city center appreciate the opportunity of cheaper travel while avoiding congestion in Tallinn and Helsinki. In the cruise business we reached a new record already in 9 months - 641 thousand passengers, which is 3000 passengers more than last year’s annual result. “We are pleased that the number of Finnish travellers has recovered and cruise passengers' interest in visiting Estonia is once again high,” noted Valdo Kalm.