UK port freight tonnage: international exports
UK port freight tonnage: international exports stood at 99.98 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 | |||||||||||
| International exports | 99.98 | 103.38 | 104.15 | 112.97 | 111.21 | 120.48 | 128.73 | 132.34 | 138.46 | 137.56 | |
| International, all traffic | 341.26 | 339.67 | 338.92 | 360.5 | 347.49 | 348.68 | 386.21 | 389.71 | 386.8 | 380.94 |
Understanding UK port freight tonnage: international exports
Outward dispatch of international maritime cargo leaving facilities across the United Kingdom measures goods loaded onto ocean-going vessels bound for foreign destinations. This series isolates domestic manufacturing and resource extraction destined for overseas markets, separating export performance from inbound supply chains and internal cabotage. It covers all outbound foreign-bound commodities, including heavy industrial materials and finished products, while excluding cargo remaining entirely within national waters.
Examining these export volumes requires recognising global demand shifts and foreign trade barriers that influence outbound shipping schedules. Initial provisional figures are frequently revised as port authorities verify final vessel loading logs and destination manifests. Researchers should avoid equating export weight directly with export revenue, given that high-value technology often registers low tonnage compared with bulk raw materials.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this outbound metric include goods produced in Northern Ireland shipped through local ports?
- Yes, traffic handled across all qualifying commercial ports within the United Kingdom is included.
- Are empty freight containers counted within these international export tonnage figures?
- The series measures the physical mass of loaded cargo, though container weight accounting rules can vary by reporting port.
- Why can export tonnage fall while export revenues rise?
- A shift towards lighter, high-tech manufacturing reduces physical weight while increasing the financial value of shipments.