In 2023, UK ports handled 434.9 million tonnes of cargo, down 5% from the year before. The individual cargo sectors — Lo-Lo (lift-on/lift-off), Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off), dry bulk and liquid bulk — were all slightly down on 2022 figures.
Reacting to the latest figures from the Department for Transport (DfT), the British Ports Association (BPA) said that, despite these falls, ports around the UK expanded into new growth industries in 2023, particularly offshore wind, and remain optimistic about the future.
With fewer, larger, vessels arriving the total deadweight tonnage handled by the ports actually increased by 0.6%.
Deep sea container traffic increased by 8% in 2023, up 2.4 million tonnes from 2022. This was due to an increase in both UK exports and imports, driven largely by imports from China and Singapore.
Overall unitised Ro-Ro traffic increased by 6% in 2023 from 2022, following a 17% increase the previous year. This was driven by an increase in import and export motor vehicles (up 19%) and passenger vehicles (up 9%).
According to the BPA, UK ports are investing millions of pounds in new infrastructure to service growing industries, including cruise and a buoyant offshore wind sector. In 2023, the ports of Aberdeen, Immingham, Portsmouth and Stornoway opened or invested in new quays and passenger terminals to facilitate the growth of the cruise and ferry sectors.
The BPA is calling on the Government to develop the Freeports and Investment Zones programmes by expanding the benefits to more ports and regions, and for longer periods.
Longer term, it would welcome efforts to reduce border bureaucracy and boost trade by exploring a comprehensive SPS (sanitary and phytosanitary) agreement with the EU.
