UK port freight tonnage: domestic coastwise inwards
UK port freight tonnage: domestic coastwise inwards stood at 36.13 million tonnes in 2025, according to GOV.UK official statistics. It is one of the indicators in the Port and waterborne freight table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1965 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Port and waterborne freight table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freight tonnage | |||||||||||
| Domestic coastwise, inwards | 36.13 | 37.32 | 40.44 | 40.79 | 38.59 | 36.28 | 38.5 | 36.6 | 35.44 | 42.18 | |
| Domestic coastwise, outwards | 37.01 | 37.27 | 38.92 | 39.73 | 39.85 | 36.14 | 38.07 | 36.41 | 37.54 | 40 |
Understanding UK port freight tonnage: domestic coastwise inwards
Inbound movement of domestic coastwise maritime freight arriving at ports within the United Kingdom counts cargo loaded at one domestic port and discharged at another domestic port. This series isolates internal sea-borne supply chains moving between national harbours, separating domestic maritime transport from international trade and one-port journeys. It measures the physical transfer of domestic goods along the coastline, excluding any cargo originating from or destined for foreign countries.
Interpreting internal coastal receipts requires understanding regional industrial distribution and domestic shipping fleet availability. Seasonal weather events around the coastline can cause pronounced fluctuations in annual delivery schedules. Analysts should avoid double-counting when combining this inbound domestic flow with outward coastwise figures, as every internal voyage theoretically generates a corresponding departure elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
- What defines a coastwise journey within domestic maritime statistics?
- It involves a sea voyage between two distinct ports located within the United Kingdom.
- Are ferry passengers counted within these coastwise freight tonnage figures?
- Passengers are excluded, though the goods and accompanying commercial vehicles they transport are measured.
- Why do coastal shipping volumes fluctuate independently of international trade indicators?
- Coastwise traffic is driven by domestic industrial needs, domestic energy supply routes, and national infrastructure projects.