Reduced traffic flow follows economic recession

The amount of unitized transport traffic handled by Port of Helsinki declined to 10.86 million tons. The number represents an 8.6 per cent reduction compared to the previous year. The economic recession was clearly visible,
as both export and import traffic sank considerably towards the end of the year. The volume of unitized goods declined by 3 per cent and that of rubber-wheeled cargo by 6 per cent. The number of containers transported was 420,000 TEUs and the number of trucks and trailers totalled 518,000.
Passenger traffic picked up again in 2008, particularly between Helsinki and Tallinn. During 2008, three new large shuttle ships were launched which, combined with the new passport free travel, contributed to the rise in the flow of sea traffic. Altogether 6.28 million people travelled between
Helsinki and Tallinn, and 2.33 million between Helsinki and Stockholm. The total number of passengers reached 8.9 million, representing a 4.6 per cent growth from the previous year. Additionally, the international cruise ship traffic during the summer brought 360,000 passengers to visit Helsinki, representing a 30 per cent rise compared to the previous year.
Ship traffic continued to be strong, though the number of ships was reduced following, among other things, a reduction in the number of visits by express liners. Then again, the ships were larger in size on average, causing a rise in the net capacity of ships. A total of 10,457 ships visited the port.

Source: Transportweekly