TRAFFIC IN SEAPORTS, FOURTH QUARTER OF 2023

Increase in the number of passengers and decrease in the traffic of goods in the fourth quarter of 2023

In the fourth quarter of 2023, a total of 4.5 million passengers embarked or disembarked in Croatian seaports. Compared to the same period of 2022, it was an increase of 4.2%.

Ferries and passenger ships carried 4.2 million passengers in the fourth quarter of 2023, which was 2.4% more than in the same period of 2022. The increase in the number of passengers was recorded in all major ports and in international traffic. There were 9.8% more passenger cars and 17.8% more coaches that embarked on and disembarked from ships compared to the same quarter of 2022.

Out of the total number of passengers in seaports, 247 thousand disembarked from cruise ships and visited, among others, the ports of Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Rijeka and Šibenik. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2022, it was an increase of 46.5%.

The total traffic of goods in the fourth quarter of 2023 at the level of the Republic of Croatia amounted to 5.3 million tonnes, which means it decreased by 7.2% compared to the same period of 2022. This is a result of a decrease in the traffic of liquid goods of 13.6% (with the share of 45% in the total traffic of goods), and a decrease of dry bulk goods of 10.5% (with the share of 28% in the total traffic of goods) compared to the same period of 2022, while containerised goods in tonnes recorded an increase of 25.1% (with the share of 20% in the total traffic of goods).

Of the five ports that account for 93% of the total traffic of goods in seaports, the decrease in the fourth quarter of 2023 was recorded in the ports of Omišalj (22.0%) and Ploče (25.5%), as compared to the fourth quarter of 2022.

Annual data show an increase in the traffic of ships and passengers in seaports in 2023

From January to December 2023, 1.4% more ships arrived in Croatian seaports than in the same period of 2022. More than 35.0 million passengers embarked or disembarked in Croatian seaports in 2023, which was 3.5% more than in 2022. The total traffic of goods in seaports from January to December 2023 decreased by 1.7% compared to the same period of 2022 and amounted to 23.2 million tonnes.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Cumulative data do not always equal the sum of individual monthly results due to the rounding of numbers to the nearest thousand.

Since 2013, detailed monthly data have been available on the official website of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, under “PC-Axis databases”, where it is possible to browse and print data in various forms. Databases are updated quarterly.

Sources and methods of data collection

The Croatian Bureau of Statistics carries out the statistical survey on the traffic in seaports by using the databases of the Croatian Integrated Maritime Information System. The Croatian Bureau of Statistics takes over a part of the database from the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, after which it performs further processing.

The Croatian Integrated Maritime Information System (CIMIS) has been used as a uniform platform for the recording of arrivals and departures of ships. Among other data, ships submit information on the traffic of goods and passengers to CIMIS through authorised maritime agents and shippers. The accuracy and completeness of the data in the official proceedings of registration is verified by the harbour master’s offices.

The detailed notes on methodology are issued in the publication entitled "Methodological Basics for Statistical Survey Traffic in Seaports", which is also available on the web site of the Croatian Bureau of Statistics.

Coverage

Data on traffic in seaports include arrived and departed ships, embarked and disembarked passengers and loaded and unloaded goods and relate to activities in all public seaports in the Republic of Croatia.

The statistical survey includes all ships under the national and foreign flags that arrived to or departed from the seaports in the Republic of Croatia, regardless of the activity they perform. Ships in ballast are included.

Data on traffic of passengers also include the passengers on cruise ships on excursions and present only their disembarkment.

Definitions

Statistical port consists of one or more ports, normally controlled by harbour master’s branch offices able to record ship and cargo movements.

Ships are vessels with a length of more than 12 m and of over 15 GT or those authorised to carry more than 12 passengers.

Sea passenger is considered to be every person that makes a sea journey on a merchant ship. Service staffs assigned to merchant ships are not regarded as passengers. Non-fare paying crew members travelling but not assigned and infants in arms are excluded.

Cruise passenger excursion is a short visit by a cruise passenger to a tourist attraction associated with a port while retaining a cabin on board.

National traffic of passengers refers to the traffic between two national ports.

International traffic of passengers includes the traffic between a port of embarkment of passengers in the Republic of Croatia and a port of disembarkment of passengers abroad and vice versa.

Goods are any goods moved on sea. This includes all packaging and equipment such as containers, swap-bodies, pallets or road goods vehicles. Goods carried in lorries, trailers or semi-trailers are included. Conversely, the following items are excluded: bunkers and stores of vessels, fish carried in fishing vessels and fish-processing ships, goods carried internally between different basins or docks of the same port.

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Persons responsible:
Edita Omerzo, Director of Spatial Statistics Directorate
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Prepared by:
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