In 2018, the volume of seaborne goods loaded and unloaded increased by 1.7% compared with a year earlier. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that a total of 304.7 million tonnes of goods were handled in German sea ports that year. In 2017, the relevant volume of freight was 299.5 million tonnes.
The incoming goods volume from foreign ports increased by 2 per cent, the volume sent abroad rose by 1.8 per cent. Maritime transport within Germany – with 8.2 million tonnes in terms of volume the smallest traffic relation – decreased by 4.7 per cent.
As in the previous year, container handling in 2018 was 15.1 million TEU. At the top of the partner countries in container traffic with German seaports, China (3 million TEU) remains ahead of the U.S. (1.4 million TEU) and Russia (700,000 TEU).
