Maritime freight transport down by 3.1 pct overall in Q1, 2021
Maritime port freight recorded a decrease of 3.1% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the similar period of 2020, in the context in which there was an increase of 0.5% in the volume of goods unloaded and a decrease of 6.3% in those loaded, according to data centralized by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
"The decrease by 3.1% of the total volume is caused by the 21.4% decrease registered by national transport and the 14.4% decrease of transit transport; while international transport by inland waterways marked an increase by 22%," states INS .
The volume of goods loaded and unloaded in Romanian ports open to maritime ships in the first three months of this year totaled 11.79 million tonnes, and the maritime container transport amounted to 153,000 TEU. 7.253 million tonnes of goods and 80 TEUs were transported by inland waterways.
During the mentioned period, the activity in the ports open to maritime ships marked decreases for most ports. The ports with the highest volumes of goods were Constanta, with a share of 94.7% of the total, and Galati (4%).
During the first quarter of 2021, the bulk cargo type was predominantly transported, with a share of 57.3% in the total goods loaded and unloaded.
The largest quantities of goods loaded and unloaded were recorded in relation to the following partners: Russia (2.586 million tonnes) and Turkey (two million tonnes). Among the Member States of the European Union, the largest quantities of goods transported were registered in partnership with Spain (643,000 tonnes) and Greece (389,000 tonnes).
Between January and March 2021, more significant volumes of agricultural, hunting and forestry products; fish and other fishery products were loaded, in a proportion of 64.3%. As regards the unloaded goods, the most significant share, of 39.8% was held by the coal and lignite, crude oil and natural gas type of goods.
The ports with the highest volumes of goods (thousands of tonnes) in inland waterway transport in the first quarter of 2021 were Constanta (56.6%) and Galati (13.9%).
Goods registered in international inland waterway transport in the first quarter of 2021, were headed to or came from Member States of the European Union, in a proportion of 45.5%.
According to the INS, Serbia recorded the largest shares in the destination and origin of goods in international inland waterway transport with a level of 1.748 million tonnes.
The most significant quantities of goods registered in international inland waterway transport in the first quarter of 2021 were agricultural, hunting and forestry products; fish and other fishery products, in a proportion of 45%. Metal ores and other mining and quarrying products; peat; Uranium and thorium predominated in national transport in proportion of 64.5% and 56.3% in inland waterway transit.