Port freight annual statistics 2025: International routes trends
Published 29 July 2026
漏 Crown copyright 2026
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You can use our听听to explore port freight trends.
These are听听and were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in听December 2018. For more information, see the听About these statistics section.听
Port freight trends by route听
Chart 12听shows trends in international and domestic tonnage at UK ports.听Total international traffic (imports and exports combined)听showed听little change听in 2025 compared to 2024, increasing听less than 1%听to听336.1听million tonnes.听听
The听small overall change听in total international freight听masks听opposing听trends听in imports and exports.听While imports increased听2%听to听237.5听million听tonnes in 2025, exports decreased听4%听to听98.6听million听tonnes.听This is consistent with trends observed since 2000, with imports consistently exceeding exports and exports steadily declining over time, reflecting the UK鈥檚听growing听.听听
In 2025, domestic traffic听decreased by听3%听from 2024听to听83.3听million tonnes.鈥疍omestic trends are explored in more detail in the听domestic听trends chapter.听听
Chart 12: Major port international freight by direction and domestic freight from 2000 to 2025听(PORT0205)听听
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Definitions听
Short sea:鈥痬aritime traffic that moves cargo along a coast without having to cross an ocean. This consists of traffic to and from European Union (EU) and 鈥極ther Europe and Mediterranean鈥� countries.听
Deep sea:鈥痬aritime traffic that crosses oceans. This consists of traffic to and from countries in Africa, America,听Asia听and Australasia. Countries on the Mediterranean coastline, including those in North Africa, are classed under short sea in the port freight series (i.e. Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia,听Libya听and Egypt).听
Transhipment:鈥痶hese statistics collect the port of loading or unloading of the cargo, which may not be the port of ultimate origin or destination. For example, if a ship carrying cargo from Asia unloads/loads the cargo at a European port which is then put on another ship to the鈥疷K, our statistics will state the port of load as the European port, rather than the port in Asia.听
Liquified natural gas (LNG)鈥痠s natural gas which has been cooled to approximately -160掳C, changing its state from gas to liquid. This enables transportation of gas by ship, as the volume is significantly reduced compared to the gaseous state.听Following import, LNG is regasified at a terminal and then transported through the gas pipeline network.
International freight听
Chart 13鈥痠s a bar chart showing tonnage handled by鈥疷K鈥痯orts by international region. In 2025听short sea trade accounted听for 65% of听international鈥疷K鈥痶onnage traffic (compared听to 35% for听deep听sea routes).听听
Tonnage moved through ports in the European Union听accounted for 52%听of all international tonnage traffic听in听2025听and听remained听the UK鈥檚听largest听trading听region, despite听declining听3.0 million tonnes (2%) from 2024.听In 2025,听All America routes had the largest absolute increase of听4.7听million tonnes (up听8%听from 2024), followed by All Asia routes听that increased by听2听million tonnes (5%).听听
Chart 13: International freight听tonnage by route听region, 2025听(PORT0204)听
听
Chart 14听is a bar chart听showing tonnage handled by UK ports by听the top 10 countries.听In听2025,听The Netherlands听鈥� home to several major 鈥撎齛ccounted听for听17% of听all听UK听international tonnage听traffic,听more than any听other country and听consistent with听previous听years.听This was closely followed by the USA,听which accounted for听14%听of听international tonnage traffic.听Tonnage from the听USA had the absolute largest increase听of any country in听2025,听increasing听2.9听million听tonnes (up 7% from听2024).听
The听top 10听countries听account听for听69% of听all UK major port international tonnage in 2025.听International route trends are discussed in more detail in the听International听cargo group trends section below.听
Chart 14:听Top 10听international freight tonnage by听country听route, 2025 (PORT0204)听
听
Charts 15听and 16 鈥痵how trends in听short sea听and deep sea tonnage听and unitised import and export traffic听over the last decade.听Unitised container imports听and exports typically follow similar trends with both increasing (across听deep and short sea) in 2025 compared to 2024.听However,听trends in听import and export tonnage听tend to diverge听because the UK imports听more goods听than it exports,听resulting in the export of听empty containers (that听have a unitised value, but no tonnage), both on deep and short sea routes.
Chart 15: International听short听and deep sea tonnage from 2015听to 2025听(PORT0204)听
听
Chart 16: International听short听and deep sea unitised traffic from 2015听to 2025听(PORT0204)听
听
Overall, in 2025, total international听short sea听traffic (imports and exports combined)听decreased from 2024, both in terms of tonnage, down听5.9 million tonnes (3%),听and units, down听0.3 million units (2%).听By contrast, deep sea traffic increased from 2024听to 2025 by听7.5 million tonnes (7%)听and听0.5 million units (12%).听
International cargo听group听trends
Chart 17听shows听changes in deep and short sea听tonnage by cargo group听from 2024 to 2025.听Liquid听bulk was the largest category听in 2025听across both听short sea and听deep sea traffic, accounting听for听35%听and听46%听of听tonnage听respectively.听听
For short sea routes,听Ro-Ro听was听the second largest听cargo category for tonnage traffic (30%听in 2025),听mainly听on听the shortest crossing听routes听between the UK and mainland听Europe (i.e.听France, The Netherlands and听Belgium).听For听deep sea听routes, container traffic was the second largest听category听for听tonnage听(31%听in 2025),听primarily shipments from China.听听
Chart 17:听Short and deep sea听tonnage by听cargo group,听2024 to 2025 (PORT0204)听
Short sea traffic听
In 2025,听short sea听tonnage听decreased听across imports听(down听1% from听2024)听and exports听(down听6%).听This听decline听was听largely听driven听by听a听6%听decrease听in听liquid bulk听and听a听4%听decrease in听dry bulk,听with听a听smaller decline in Ro-Ro听(1%).听By contrast,听container short sea traffic increased听7%听in听2025.听听
Liquid bulk moved on short sea routes had the largest absolute decline of any听short sea听cargo group听in 2025,听down听5.1听million tonnes听from 2024听(6%),听with this decrease听primarily reflecting fewer听exports.听Most of听this听decline听was听on听routes听to The Netherlands听with听large听decreases听in听oil product听exports, down听1.7听million tonnes (20%)听and crude oil exports, down听0.6 million tonnes (15%).听According to the听DESNZ Energy Trends听report, this听reflects听the near-record low year for primary oil production from the mature North Sea basin听in 2025, as well as the record UK lows for product refinery output after the closure of the Grangemouth and Lindsey oil refineries - this lead to decreased refinery demand and fewer liquid bulk shipments to the Netherlands, Europe鈥檚 major trading hub for oil.听
Compared to 2024, containers听had the largest absolute听increase in short sea traffic,听up听1.9听million tonnes听(7%)听and听0.1听million听units (3%)听in 2025,听with rises in both imports and exports.听Most of听this increase was on听routes with The Netherlands with听tonnage听imports rising听10%听and听exports rising听9%听from 2024 to 2025.听This听aligns with听the听opening of听, providing increased capacity for the handling of container shipments in and out of听the UK.听The Netherlands,听听with several听major听container ports,听is a key route for听the Port of London听(given its geographical proximity)听and container shipments on this route have听risen听69%听from 2024 to听2025.
Deep sea traffic听
In 2025,听deep听sea tonnage听increased听across imports (up听7% from听2024) and exports听(up听6%).听Deep听sea tonnage听rose听in all cargo groups in 2025 with large increases in听containers, up听3.1 million tonnes (10%),听dry bulk,听up 2.5 million tonnes (13%), and liquid听bulk, up听1.6听million听tonnes听(3%).听
Container听deep sea听tonnage increased听across听imports and exports - this was also reflected in increased unitised container traffic, up听0.5听million units听(14%)听from 2024 to 2025.听This rise was driven by increased container imports from China, up听1.3听million tonnes (13%),听and听from India, up听0.5听million tonnes (28%).听Both China and India are major global suppliers听of manufactured goods, and the UK continues to increase imports from these countries听(DBT trade and investment factsheets).听China is the UK鈥檚 largest container trading partner with unitised traffic reaching听1.8 million units听in 2025听(accounting for听32%听of all unitised container traffic).听
The increase in deep听sea dry bulk traffic听in 2025 was largely due to increased imports from the USA听(up听1.9 million tonnes听from 2024,听22%)听and Canada听(up听0.9听million tonnes,听39%),听particularly听of听other dry bulk commodities and wood pellets. Rising biomass fuel imports have supported the UK鈥檚 renewable energy and decarbonisation objectives听(Biomass Strategy 2023), with imported wood pellets used extensively in biomass听power听generation听(DESNZ Energy Trends听report).The USA听is听the UK鈥檚听primary supplier of wood听pellets听accounting听for听77% of听all听wood pellet imports in 2025.听
Lastly, increased听deep听sea liquid听bulk听traffic听was听primarily driven by greater LNG imports from the听USA,听which听rose听3.7听million听tonnes听from听2024 to 2025 (up听53%).听This increase is听consistent with trends in the听DESNZ Energy Trends听report that shows听the growing importance of听USA听LNG in听meeting听UK energy demands.听Since听2022,听the USA听has been the听UK鈥檚听largest听liquid bulk trading partner, and听in 2025,听imports听from the听USA听accounted听for听74%听of听all听UK LNG听imports.听This shift has been supported by a major expansion of liquefaction capacity听in the USA, which has substantially increased the country鈥檚 LNG听exports to the global market ().
Background information
The PORT data tables give further detail of the key results presented in this statistical release. They are available from port and domestic waterborne freight statistics.
These notes provide further information such as definitions and a list of UK ports is available in the accompanying port list.
The background quality report provides further information on how the data is collected, quality assured and comparisons with relevant data sources.
Details of Ministers and officials who receive pre-release access to these statistics up to 24 hours before release can be found on the pre-release access list.
听 Related data sources
His Majesty鈥檚 Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes data on tonnage and value to a much more granular commodity level for goods traded internationally. Comparisons between port freight and this source, specifically for certain cargo categories, are explored further in our notes and definitions.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (formerly Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) publish the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) which covers the production and consumption of fuels and energy in the UK.
Information on freight moved by different modes, including a breakdown of domestic freight, is available in Transport Statistics Great Britain.
publish comparative port freight data for European Union countries, which can be used to compare UK ports to those in EU countries.
About these Statistics
These official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation in December 2018. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled .
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