National statistics

Port freight quarterly statistics: January to March 2023

Provisional quarterly statistics on freight handled by UK major ports for January to March 2023.

Documents

Details

Following user feedback, DfT are trialling publishing estimates of cargo group alongside the quarterly port freight statistics, in a proposed third quarterly table PORT0503. This has been published containing current quarter data for the eighth time.

This new data is regarded as Experimental Statistics, awaiting user feedback and further quality assurance to provide timely estimates. You can provide feedback about this change by filling in this form. We continue to welcome any feedback on any aspect of the port freight statistics (see contact details).

When comparing January to March 2023 with January to March 2022 through UK major ports:

  • total freight tonnage decreased by 2% to 109.5 million tonnes

  • inward tonnage decreased by 2% to 72.9 million tonnes

  • outward tonnage decreased by 4% to 36.7 million tonnes

  • total volume of unitised traffic remained stable at 4.5 million units

  • inward units increased by 1% to 2.4 million units

  • outward units decreased by 2% to 2.1 million units

When comparing the rolling year to March 2023 with March 2022 through UK major ports:

  • total tonnage increased by 1% to 446.9 million tonnes

  • total volume of unitised traffic increased by 8% to 20.3 million units

Detailed final annual statistics for 2022 and 2023 will be published in summer 2023 and summer 2024 respectively.

Further information about these statistics is available, including:

Contact us

Maritime and shipping statistics

Email maritime.stats@dft.gov.uk

Maritime statistics enquiries 020 7944 4847

Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

Published 7 June 2023