Maritime Statistics 2004

Maritime Statistics 2004 provides a substantial compilation of statistics about passenger and freight traffic through the ports of the United Kingdom (Part A), and about ships owned or registered in the United Kingdom, and about the world fleet (Part B). This is the latest volume of an annual publication, which has been produced by the Department for over twenty years.

The current system for collecting detailed port freight traffic statistics was introduced in 2000 to meet the requirements of an EC Maritime Statistics Directive (Council Directive 95/64/EC). Under this system, shipping lines or their agents supply detailed quarterly returns of traffic loaded or unloaded at UK major ports (generally those ports with at least 1 million tonnes of traffic a year), which includes information about the port of origin or destination in the UK or elsewhere in the world, cargo categories, gross weight and numbers of units, and ship details. Major ports also supply quarterly totals of inwards and outwards traffic. Details of the data collection system are given in Appendix A.

Readers may like to note that the Department will publish a revised and updated edition of the Focus on Ports statistical report in early 2006. This edition will include detailed statistics on trends in UK port traffic over the past 40 years.

The merchant fleet statistics in Part B are based on Lloyd's Register-Fairplay data supplied to the Department and contain tables of vessels of 100 gross tons and over. There are individual sections on vessels owned by UK companies, vessels registered in the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies, and on the world fleet.

We would welcome suggestions for changes to Maritime Statistics that would help to improve its usefulness. Please contact Jeremy Grove, Zone 2/29 Great Minster House, London SW1P 4DR (telephone: 020 7944 4441; e-mail: jeremy.grove@dft.gov.uk)

Copies of earlier editions of Maritime Statistics are also available from The Stationery Office.