๐ณ๏ธ UK major ports experienced a 1% year-on-year DECLINE in total freight tonnage for Q2 2024, handling 108 million tonnes, according to the โPort Freight Quarterly Statistics: April to June 2024โ report from the UK Department for Transport.ย
๐ Inward traffic decreased by 1% to 72.4 million tonnes, while outward traffic fell by 2% to 35.6 million tonnes. Despite these declines, unitised traffic remained stable at 5.4 million units.
๐ข Liquid bulk and container tonnage saw notable reductions, while roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) freight increased by 4%, highlighting mixed trends in post-Brexit UK trade patterns.
๐ The report shows a more pronounced 5% decrease in total tonnage over the rolling year to June 2024, falling to 418.1 million tonnes.
โด๏ธ Liquid bulk tonnage dropped significantly by 5%, driven primarily by a sharp 79% decline in LNG traffic at Medway port. Meanwhile, dry bulk tonnage also decreased by 3%, with Port Talbot, a key hub for dry bulk materials, seeing a reduction of 36% as Tata Steel reduced operations.
๐ The report indicates that container traffic saw a 7% decrease in tonnage in Q2 2024, with London port experiencing the largest reduction, dropping by 14% to 3.6 million tonnes.
However, measured in units, container traffic grew by 8%, likely driven by an increase in empty containers or lighter cargo loads per container.
Ro-Ro freight, on the other hand, performed well, increasing by 4% to 24.3 million tonnes in Q2 2024. This growth was driven by London ports, where Ro-Ro tonnage increased by 39%, and Dover, which saw a 6% increase in Ro-Ro units.
While the UKโs port freight traffic shows resilience in some sectors, the overall decline underscores the ongoing adjustments in trade flows following Brexit rupture.
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