Maritime transport plays a key role in moving goods.
Globally, around 13 billion tonnes of traded goods were transported by sea in 2024. In the EU, ports handled around 3.4 billion tonnes of goods. This corresponds to 26% of the global total.
Almost 90% of the EU’s external freight trade is also carried by sea according to the EU Blue Economy Observatory.
So, which are the busiest ports in the EU and which countries handle the most goods?
Shipping mainly consists of two types: short sea shipping and deep sea shipping. Short sea shipping refers to transporting goods over relatively short distances by sea whereas deep sea shipping covers longer, intercontinental routes across oceans.
