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Half of EU trade carried by sea: Eurostat

Xinhua, September 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

Maritime transport plays an essential role in the international trade of the European Union (EU), accounting for about 51 percent of the total goods trade value in 2015, data showed.

On the occasion of World Maritime Day celebrated on September 29, Eurostat, EU's statistical office, published a selection of data on Wednesday representing the theme "Shipping: indispensable to the world".

In 2015, the value of EU trade with third countries (non-EU countries) carried by sea was estimated at close to 1,777 billion euros.

In detail, 53 percent of EU imports entered the EU by sea, while shipping represented 48 percent of EU exports to third countries, Eurostat said.

Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg, all located on the North Sea coast, were the top three EU cargo ports in 2014, Among EU members, Portugal, Cyprus and Greece were on top for using maritime transport most in their international trade last year.

Moreover, in the countries such as Netherlands, Romania, Bulgaria, Denmark and Germany, shares of trade with non-EU countries carried by sea were all above 50 percent.

At the opposite end of the scale, maritime transport was less significant in the extra-EU trade of the Czech Republic and Luxembourg, followed by Ireland and Latvia, Austria and Croatia. Endit