Detailed guide: Maritime and shipping statistics information

Published: 24 February 2021
By Chris Haycock

Maritime statistics overview

A summary of the maritime statistics collected and published by DfT.

Guide to maritime statistics (PDF, 310KB, 2 pages)

Port freight statistics are based on returns from port operators and shipping lines and agents. Further details for shipping lines, their agents and ports on completing statistical returns on maritime freight traffic through ports, as required by the European Commission Maritime Statistics Directive (95/64/EU) can be found on the maritime statistics directive page.

Port freight statistics: notes and definitions (PDF, 2.73MB, 28 pages)

Quarterly port freight background information (PDF, 214KB, 1 page)

Port freight statistics background quality report (PDF, 838KB, 21 pages)

Information on freight traffic carried on inland waters and around the coast of the United Kingdom, produced from a number of sources. Covers inland waters traffic, traffic carried around the UK coast, one-port traffic to and from offshore installations and sea dredging.

In 2007, an inventory giving details of the physical infrastructure of inland waterways which are used to carry freight was conducted. A summary report and a detailed inventory of individual waterways, wharves and inland waterway craft were produced.

Domestic waterborne freight: notes and definitions (PDF, 1.38MB, 14 pages)

Waterborne freight benchmark report: 2007 (PDF, 597KB, 20 pages)

Waterborne freight benchmark data: 2007 (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 340KB)

Sea passenger statistics: notes and definitions (PDF, 1.27MB, 10 pages)

Sea passenger statistics: background quality report (PDF, 1.23MB, 11 pages)

Sea passenger statistics: summary of user feedback (PDF, 256KB, 5 pages)

Shipping fleet statistics: notes and definitions (PDF, 345KB, 7 pages)

Seafarer statistics: technical note (PDF, 301KB, 8 pages)

Seafarer statistics: background quality report

Editions of the previously produced Maritime Statistics compendium are available from archived publications. These were produced up until 2009.

In 2009 to 2010, Department for Transport commissioned a survey of port authorities and port related businesses, looking at employment and the incidence of accidents. A summary and full report of the findings are available.

Port employment and accident rates: 2009 to 2010 summary (PDF, 47.9KB, 5 pages)

Port employment and accident rates: 2009 to 2010 full report (PDF, 702KB, 104 pages)