Guidance

Maritime and shipping statistics information

Guide to maritime and shipping statistics including notes and definitions, quality information and supporting technical documents.

Maritime statistics overview

A summary of the maritime statistics collected and published by the Department for Transport (DfT).

Guide to maritime statistics (PDF, 310 KB, 2 pages)

Port freight statistics information

Port freight statistics are based on returns from port operators and shipping lines and agents. Further details for shipping lines, their agents and ports on completing statistical returns on maritime freight traffic through ports, as required the Statistical Returns (Carriage of Goods and Passengers by Sea) Regulations 1997, can be found on the maritime statistics directive page.

Port freight statistics: notes and definitions

Quarterly port freight background information

Port freight statistics: background quality report

Waterborne freight statistics information

Information on freight traffic carried on inland waters and around the coast of the United Kingdom, produced from a number of sources. Covers inland waters traffic, traffic carried around the UK coast, one-port traffic to and from offshore installations and sea dredging.

In 2007, an inventory giving details of the physical infrastructure of inland waterways which are used to carry freight was conducted. A summary report and a detailed inventory of individual waterways, wharves and inland waterway craft were produced.

Domestic waterborne freight: notes and definitions (PDF, 1.38 MB, 14 pages)

Waterborne freight benchmark report: 2007 (PDF, 597 KB, 20 pages)

Waterborne freight benchmark data: 2007 (340 KB)

Sea passenger statistics information

Sea passenger statistics: background quality report

Sea passenger statistics: summary of user feedback (PDF, 256 KB, 5 pages)

Sea passenger statistics: notes and definitions

Shipping fleet statistics information

Shipping fleet statistics: notes and definitions

Supporting information for notes and definitions (ODS, 17.8 KB)

Proposed index of tables (ODS, 16.8 KB)

Seafarer statistics information

Seafarer statistics: technical note

Seafarer statistics: background quality report

Other documents

Editions of the previously produced Maritime Statistics compendium are available from archived publications. These were produced up until 2009.

In 2009 to 2010, DfT commissioned a survey of port authorities and port related businesses, looking at employment and the incidence of accidents. A summary and full report of the findings are available.

Port employment and accident rates: 2009 to 2010 summary (PDF, 47.9 KB, 5 pages)

Port employment and accident rates: 2009 to 2010 full report (PDF, 702 KB, 104 pages)

Published 22 August 2018
Last updated 6 March 2024 + show all updates
  1. Shipping fleet supporting information for notes and definitions and proposed index of tables updated.

  2. Background quality report and technical note URLs updated for the 2023 annual report.

  3. Sea passenger notes and definitions, background quality report updated for the 2022 all routes annual report.

  4. Supporting information on shipping notes and definitions and proposed table index added. Notes and definitions for shipping updated.

  5. Reference to the 2021 seafarers technical note, now updated for the year 2022.

  6. Quarterly port freight background information updated.

  7. Sea passenger notes and definitions and background quality report updated for the year 2021.

  8. Seafarers technical note updated for the latest Seafarers in the UK Shipping Industry report.

  9. Port freight statistics background quality report and notes and definitions updated for the 2020 annual report.

  10. Shipping fleet technical note updated for the 2020 report.

  11. Background quality report for seafarers added to the Seafarer statistics information section.

  12. Sea passenger notes and definitions and background quality report updated for the sea passenger all routes 2019 report.

  13. Port freight statistics background quality report and notes and definitions updated for the 2019 annual report.

  14. Quarterly port freight background information document updated for October to December 2019 report.

  15. Notes and definitions for sea passenger statistics updated.

  16. Guide to maritime statistics, port freight and seafarers notes and definitions updated.

  17. Sea passenger statistics background quality report updated for the 2018 final report.

  18. Updated quarterly port freight background information.

  19. Updated for port freight annual statistics: 2018 and added note on National Statistics designation of port freight statistics.

  20. Sea passenger statistics - summary of user feedback document added.

  21. Updated sea passenger statistics notes.

  22. First published.