Accredited official statistics

Port freight quarterly statistics: April to June 2024

Published 12 September 2024

Overview of quarterly port freight statistics 

When comparing April to June 2024 with April to June 2023 through UK major ports: 

• total freight tonnage decreased by 1% to 108.0 million tonnes

• inward tonnage decreased by 1% to 72.4 million tonnes

• outward tonnage decreased by 2% to 35.6 million tonnes

• total volume of unitised traffic showed little change to 5.4 million units

• inward units increased by 2% to 2.9 million units

• outward units showed little change to 2.5 million units

When comparing the rolling year to June 2024 with June 2023 through UK major ports: 

• total tonnage decreased by 5% to 418.1 million tonnes

• total volume of unitised traffic increased by 2% to 20.9 million units

Detailed final annual statistics for 2024 will be published in July 2025. 

This publication includes both accredited official statistics and official statistics in development. For more information, see the about these statistics section.

Chart 1: Quarterly port freight tonnage and units from 2019 (PORT0502)

Note, the 2021 and 2022 series have been removed from these charts to make them easier to read because the trends are very similar to those seen in 2023. 

Chart 1 shows that in Q2 (April to June) 2024, despite tonnage traffic increasing by 5% since Q1 (January to March) 2024, tonnage levels remain below the equivalent quarter in 2019 (-8%) – the gap this quarter is slightly wider than seen in recent previous years. There is some evidence that tonnage is not likely to reach 2019 levels, following the United Kingdom’s (UK) exit from the European Union (EU), with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) Brexit analysis assuming that UK-EU trade will be around 15% lower in the long run than if the UK had remained in the EU. The OBR’s latest evidence on the impact of Brexit on UK trade, published in March 2022, also finds that the UK appears to have become a less trade intensive economy, with trade as a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) falling 12% since 2019, the largest fall of any G7 country.

Chart 1 also shows that unitised port freight traffic, including passenger vehicles, has followed the seasonal pattern, and increased by 17% following the winter lull in Q1. The gap to the equivalent quarter in 2019 has fallen since last quarter (to 9% below Q2 2019), this is the smallest difference since COVID-19 travel restrictions began. Seasonal unitised traffic trends largely reflect fluctuations in sea passenger volumes. Sea passenger statistics are available in the sea passenger data collection.

Port freight trends by cargo type estimates

Method and coverage

We are trialling publishing estimates of cargo groups alongside the quarterly port freight statistics in PORT0503. The estimates are based on total tonnage and units provided by the port which are validated to a high standard and published as provisional national statistics in PORT0502. These totals are then split by cargo group based on data provided by shipping agents. If no shipping agent data is received for a port, then no estimates can be created. Since Q3 (July to September) 2022, where large amounts of data from a shipping agent is missing in the current quarter, a value has been imputed from the equivalent quarter in the previous year to allow for more accurate national trend analysis. This method is still under development and any feedback from users is welcome by contacting us.

The agents and ports data might not always match due to missing agent data, or differences in how ports and agents categorise certain shipments. During the annual validations process the department carries out extensive matching between these 2 data sources and queries the data providers to finalise the annual dataset. During quarterly validations, only high-level matching is conducted. Therefore, PORT0502, instead of PORT0503, should always be used for accurate trend analysis. 

Nevertheless, as with all the quarterly figures, these estimates are provisional until finalised with the annual publication in the following calendar year, for example 2024 estimates will be finalised in July 2025. 

Chart 2: UK port freight tonnage traffic by cargo group since 2019 (PORT0503)

Chart 2 shows UK quarterly major port tonnage from Q1 2019 to Q2 2024 with different lines for the different cargo group estimates. Liquid bulk is the largest category and the main driver of the UK’s overall decrease in tonnage traffic seen this quarter compared to Q2 2023.  Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) freight and dry bulk frequently change places as the second largest group behind liquid bulk, Ro-Ro freight has been the second largest for the past 3 quarters. The trends of each cargo type are discussed in more detail below.  

Chart 3  shows how different cargo estimates have changed for the 3 UK ports with the largest overall decreases in tonnage handled from Q2 2023 to Q2 2024, and Chart 4 shows this for the 3 UK ports with the largest overall increases in tonnage handled.

The figures in the charts in this release are timelier estimates. For high quality trend analysis of cargo groups, please use our 2024 port freight annual statistics when published in July 2025.

Chart 3: The top 3 UK ports with the largest overall decreases in tonnage handled from Q2 2023 to Q2 2024, segmented by cargo group (PORT0503)

Note, some ports do not handle all of the cargo groups in the key. Cargo groups that are not handled at the port will not appear on the chart.

Chart 4: The top 3 UK ports with the largest overall increases in tonnage handled from Q2 2023 to Q2 2024, segmented by cargo group (PORT0503)

Note, some ports do not handle all of the cargo groups in the key. Cargo groups that are not handled at the port will not appear on the chart.

Liquid bulk 

Chart 2 shows that liquid bulk tonnage through UK major ports has decreased by 5% to 41.7 million tonnes when comparing Q2 2024 with Q2 2023.

Chart 3 shows that the overall reduction in liquid bulk from Q2 2023 to Q2 2024 was largely driven by Medway, which saw a 1.9 million tonne decrease (-79%) in liquid bulk tonnage during this period, the largest decrease in liquid bulk tonnage of any major UK port. The port cited a reduction in LNG vessels at the port this quarter. Milford Haven also saw a significant drop in liquid bulk in Q2 2024, falling by 1.4 million tonnes. Chart 4 shows an increase in liquid bulk in Q2 2024 for Southampton, Clyde and River Hull and Humber, however this increase is relatively small compared to the overall drop nationally.

Dry bulk 

When comparing Q2 2024 with Q2 2023, dry bulk tonnage decreased by 3% to 21.4 million tonnes. Port Talbot saw the greatest decline in dry bulk of all UK ports, down 0.6 million tonnes (-36%), as seen in Chart 3. Tata Steel has reported closure of it’s furnaces at Port Talbot as it moves to future electric arc furnace steelmaking. 

Containers 

Container tonnage in Q2 2024 has decreased by 7% to 14.7 million tonnes compared to the same quarter in 2023. This change was largely driven by London, which saw a 0.6 million tonne decrease (-14%) during this period, the largest decrease in container tonnage of any major UK port, falling to 3.6 million tonnes. 

When measured in units, container traffic saw an 8% increase in Q2 2024 when compared with Q2 2023. Unitised container traffic may have increased whilst container tonnage has decreased because of either a higher number of empty containers being moved or less cargo being carried per container. 

Ro-Ro freight 

When comparing Q2 2024 with Q2 2023, Ro-Ro freight tonnage increased by 4% to 24.3 million tonnes. London saw a 0.6 million tonne increase (39%) in Ro-Ro freight tonnage during this period, the largest increase in Ro-Ro freight of any major UK port, rising to 2.3 million tonnes.  

Ro-Ro freight unitised traffic saw a 3% increase when compared with quarter 2 2023. As shown in Chart 5, this was mostly driven by an increase of 34,000 units at Dover (6%). 

Ro-Ro non-freight 

In Q2 2024, Ro-Ro non-freight units decreased by 4% to 2.1 million units compared to Q2 2023. Grimsby and Immingham saw the greatest decline, falling by 54,000 units (-22%) during this period, closely followed by Tyne, down 43,000 units (-32%).  

Chart 5: The top 3 UK ports with the largest overall increases in units handled from Q2 2023 to Q2 2024, segmented by cargo group (PORT0503)

Note, some ports do not handle all of the cargo groups in the key. Cargo groups that are not handled at the port will not appear.

Chart 6: UK port freight unitised traffic by cargo group since 2019 (PORT0503)

Chart 6 shows UK quarterly major port units from Q1 2019 to Q2 2024 with different lines for the different cargo group estimates. The relative levels of Ro-Ro freight and Containers are generally stable over this period whilst Ro-Ro non-freight follows a seasonal trend. Between Q1 2024 and Q2 2024, Ro-Ro non-freight unitised traffic saw a 43% increase which is driven by an increase in passenger vehicle traffic in the summer months. This trend is reflected through the increase in sea passengers during this period.

Further information  

Further information about these statistics is available, including:  

• background information on quarterly port freight statistics

• notes and definitions for all port freight statistics

Please contact MaritimeForecasts@dft.gov.uk if you have any questions about the department’s port freight forecasts.  

Definitions  

Unitised goods: Goods which are lifted on or off the vessel in large (20 foot or longer) shipping containers or rolled on or off in 1 of a variety of self-propelled or towed units are said to be unitised cargoes. For these cargo types, the number of units as well as the weight of goods is recorded. The exception is passenger cars, which do not carry cargo and therefore the department only collect the number of units for.

Tonnage: Gross weight in tonnes, including crates and other packaging. The tare weights of containers, road goods vehicles, trailers and other items of transport equipment (the unloaded weight of the vehicle or equipment itself) are excluded.

Liquid bulk: Consists of any liquid or liquid gas that is transported in a tank.

Liquified natural gas (LNG): Natural gas which has been cooled to approximately -160°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.

Dry bulk: Carried in the main cargo hold of bulk carrier vessels, for example coal, ores and scrap metal.

Lift-on/Lift-of (Lo-Lo): Container (Lo-Lo) traffic is measured in both tonnes and units, where 1 unit is 1 container, and tonnage measures the weight of the cargo being carried, excluding the weight of the container itself, so an empty container has a weight of 0.

Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro): Cargo that can be moved on to, or off, a vessel either by their own propulsion (such as a passenger car) or with assistance (such as an unaccompanied trailer). Detailed information is available in this category flowchart.

Ro-Ro freight traffic: All Ro-Ro units that carry cargo, both accompanied and unaccompanied, it is measured in both tonnes and units, where 1 unit is 1 vehicle or trailer, and tonnage measures the weight of the cargo being carried, excluding the weight of the vehicle itself, so an empty unit has a weight of 0.

Ro-Ro non-freight traffic: All other Roll-on/Roll-off traffic that does not carry cargo, such as passenger vehicles, import/export vehicles and unaccompanied caravans. Passenger vehicles are counted in units but do not have a tonnage as they are carrying no cargo, therefore Ro-Ro non-freight tonnage is mostly import/export vehicles.

Accompanied: Road goods vehicles carrying freight accompanied by the driver on the sea crossing.

Unaccompanied: Road goods vehicles without the accompanied cab, rolled on and off the vessel by port operations and collected by a new driver at the destination port.

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