Ship travel passenger numbers in Helsinki late summer up to 80% of pre-COVID levels
Ship travel in Helsinki has recovered to a level approximately 20% below the record-breaking years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, the volume of cargo transported via Helsinki is on track to breaking the previous record, according to the company's release.
The number of liner traffic passengers in Helsinki in January–July was 4.5 million. The change from the same period in the previous year is +203%.
The route with the highest passenger numbers has been Helsinki-Tallinn with a total of 3.5 million passengers in January–July. The number of passengers recorded on the Stockholm-Helsinki route during the same period was nearly 790,000.
The Port of Helsinki’s weekly numbers of passengers. This year is marked in dark blue, the previous year is marked in green and, for comparison, the chart also includes pre-COVID 2019 in light blue.
Goods are currently being transported via the Port of Helsinki at a record-breaking pace.
The total cargo volume in January–July was 8.9 million tonnes, which is 8.4% more than in the same period in the previous year. Of this amount, 4.2 million tonnes was in import (+15.3%), and 4.7 million tonnes in export (+2.5%).
Unitised cargo traffic amounted to 7.5 million tonnes (+7.2%). Measured in tonnes, container traffic increased by 0.4% from the previous year, while rubber-wheeled traffic increased by 10.2%.
Increased transportation costs, challenges in cargo traffic delivery chains and the effects of the situation in Ukraine on general economic developments are presenting challenges to the Port of Helsinki’s operating environment as well. However, the development of cargo traffic has remained positive so far despite the darkening general economic outlook.
The development of the port’s liner traffic and passenger numbers in the remainder of the year will be affected not only by international challenges, but the sale and leasing of ships abroad as well. Viking Line recently sold the M/S Amorella and is currently re-evaluating which ships it will operate on the Helsinki-Stockholm route going forward. Meanwhile Tallink Silja has leased out the Silja Europa, which is expected to return to regular operation in spring 2023. A positive development this autumn will be the start of Tallink’s new ship MyStar’s operation on the Helsinki-Tallin route.
