George Finch, Policy & Economic Analyst at the 澳门码今期开奖结果, analyses the latest port freight and trade statistics from the Department for Transport and assesses what the data reflects for UK ports, and how a newly elected Government could boost growth in the port sector.聽
The recently released Department for Transport Port Freight Statistics for 2023 shed light on what is an interesting time for ports in the UK. Despite showing how UK ports handled 5% less tonnage in 2023 in 2022, ports around the UK expanded into new growth industries in 2023, particularly offshore wind, and remain optimistic about the future.
The shows that in 2023, UK ports handled 434.9 million tonnes of cargo, down 5% from the year before. The individual cargo sectors: Lo-Lo, Ro-Ro, Dry Bulk, and Liquid Bulk, are all also slightly down on 2022 figures.
84,527 cargo vessels arrived at the UK’s largest ports in 2023, which is 2% less than 2022. However, the total deadweight tonnage of these vessels increased by 0.6%, meaning there are fewer, larger vessels arriving. Deep sea container traffic increased by 8% in 2023, up 2.4 million tonnes from 2022. This is due to an increase in both UK exports and imports, driven largely by imports from China and Singapore.
Overall unitised Ro-Ro traffic increased by 6% in 2023 from 2022, following a 17% increase the previous year. This was driven by an increase in import and export motor vehicles (up 19%) and passenger vehicles (up 9%). Overall Ro-Ro tonnage decreased by 3% in 2023 from 2022, largely due to unaccompanied roads good vehicles. Though the increase in freight carrying unitised Ro-Ro but decrease in total tonnage, suggests that there is more total trailer traffic, but these are carrying, on average, less cargo.
Dry Bulk tonnage declined overall by 10% in 2023 from 2022, driven mostly by coal (down 34%). This was driven by the closure of two of the UK鈥檚 three power producing coal plants, with the third scheduled to close by the end of this year.
Top UK Ports 2023 by Cargo Type
Lo-Lo Traffic: Top UK Ports 2023
Ro-Ro Traffic: Top UK Ports 2023
Dry Bulk Traffic: Top UK Ports 2023
Liquid Bulk Traffic: Top UK Ports 2023
The latest statistics show a small decline on 2022 numbers, but ports are investing millions of pounds in new infrastructure to service growing industries, including cruise and a buoyant offshore wind sector. In 2023, the ports of Aberdeen, Immingham, Portsmouth, and Stornoway opened or invested in new quays and passenger terminals to facilitate the growth of the cruise and ferry sectors. Whilst correlated, the success of our ports is not tightly bound to cargo volumes, as ports around the UK are exploring new revenue streams and are confident in their futures.
The new Government’s National Wealth Fund and GB Energy could help funnel investment into our ports, helping develop and de-risk the UK’s clean energy supply chain. Additionally,聽efforts to streamline planning procedures聽(including the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill) may improve the UK’s housebuilding sector, which will feed through to increased traffic at ports.
With the Government paying closer attention to planning rules, we have been of the current process of harbour orders and port development challenges and have urged the Government to speed up the consenting process to help UK ports unlock new investment, particularly in offshore wind opportunities. You can read the full range of 澳门码今期开奖结果 priorities for the new government on .