The Port of Helsinki has grown to become the busiest passenger port in Europe in 2017, and is also the number one general port for international freight traffic in Finland.

The particularly strong growth of the Helsinki–Tallinn route, with nine million ship passengers passing between the two cities, played an integral role in the Port of Helsinki‘s impressive result. Along with an all-time-high number of international cruise ship visits to Helsinki (266), stable liner traffic to Stockholm, St. Petersburg and Travemünde also contributed to the record-breaking year.

A united economic area formed between Helsinki and Tallinn depends on flexible and frequent ferry traffic between the cities. The Port of Helsinki has answered popular demand by opening a new terminal last year, and shipping companies have also been spurred into action.

“In recent years, shipping companies have introduced larger and faster ships for the Helsinki–Tallinn route, while also increasing their passenger capacities during peak seasons,” says Kari Noroviita, director of passenger harbours at the Port of Helsinki.

In addition to breaking records in passenger numbers, the Port of Helsinki also became the country’s primary general port for international freight traffic in 2017, after experiencing a 14.3 per cent increase on the previous year.
The Port’s impact on Greater Helsinki cannot be understated. Marine passengers bring more than 805 million euros to the region annually, and the combined total revenue generated by operations related to the Port is approximately 1.6 billion euros.

Source: www.goodnewsfinland.com
Photo: absfreepic.com