Flow of passengers and import goods to Finland increased last year – over half a million cruise tourists in Helsinki
The number of cruise ship passengers to Finland in 2018 increased by nearly 10 per cent compared to the previous year. There was also an increase in the imports of raw materials, petroleum and chemical products, ores and concentrates to Finland and their transit transports to other countries through Finnish ports.
Last year, the number of cruise passengers coming to Finland increased by 9.6 per cent from the previous year. The total number of cruise passenger was approximately 525,000, with 515,000 arriving in Helsinki. Conversely, passenger traffic between Finland and Estonia and between Finland and Sweden slightly decreased: a total of 8.9 million cruise passengers travelled between Finland and Estonia and 8.7 million passengers between Sweden and Finland.
“The number of foreign cruise ships in Helsinki has increased during the last couple of years, and it is interesting to see whether we will be as popular this summer. According to the monthly statistics from April, it seems that passenger traffic to Sweden and Estonia is still on a slow decline. However, we will not know the facts until after the summer season”, says inspector Vesa Lasaroff.
Chemical pulp exports strong and raw material imports on the rise
A total of 103.8 million tonnes of material was shipped by sea to and from Finland in 2018. There was an increase in both exports (52.9 million tonnes) and imports (50.9 million tonnes). Exports increased particularly in chemical pulp, metal products, fertilisers and general cargo. Transit transports through the ports of HaminaKotka, Kokkola and Pori are also visible in the statistics. Imports increased especially in the transport of raw timber and minerals, petroleum and chemicals industry products as well as ores and concentrates. More detailed information on the development of passenger and goods transport can be found in the monthly statistics for foreign shipping provided by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom.