Port of Kiel notes slight decline in 2018
In 2018, the port of Kiel did not succeed in achieving the record result it noted in 2017 (7.4 million t, +14.3%), as last year's throughput fell by 3.5% to 7.15 million t.
The German port’s core business is ferry traffic, which accounts just under 6 million t, or over 80% of the total volume. Routes to Norway (+ 2.3%) and the Baltics (+ 1.6%) both grew, but over 10% freight tons less were transported on the Kiel-Gothenburg link. This was due to the "Stena Scandinavica" spending a long time in a dock. The ferry was equipped with a modern emission control system at the beginning of 2018, and unavailable for transport services.
Hardly any changes were noted on the weekly sailings to/from Russia because of the ongoing reciprocal trade restrictions. The throughput of bulk cargo decreased by 2% to 1.2 million t.
Forest product handling is now firmly established, and well over 1.5 million t of paper products from the Swedish companies SCA and Iggesund have flowed through Kiel since the SCA terminal was opened in autumn 2016. (kd)