Ahoy! Malta’s Port Arrivals Records Highest Increase In EU
Malta has recorded the highest EU increase in the number of vessels stopping in its ports by a longshot between 2013 and 2023.
During this 10-year period, the number of vessels calling at Maltese ports increased by 100.8%, followed by Croatia (40.3%) and Spain (31%). In contrast, the biggest decline was reported in Finland (-26.6%), Latvia (-24.3%) and Bulgaria (-21.2%).
Malta was one of 12 that registered any increases in the number of vessels calling at ports.
Meanwhile, Greece had the highest number of port calls with 477,115 vessels, followed by Italy (449,131 vessels) and Denmark (322,230 vessels). At the other end of the scale, Slovenia (1,760 vessels), Cyprus (2,090 vessels) and Bulgaria (2,851 vessels) reported the lowest numbers.
In 2023, the average gross vessel size calling at Maltese ports experienced a decline of 6.1% compared to 2022, marking one of the largest decreases among EU countries. This contrasts with the overall trend in the EU, where 19 countries recorded increases in vessel size compared to 2022.
Across the EU, the average gross vessel size at main ports was 8,058 tonnes in 2023, a 5.2% rise from 2022 (7,662 tonnes) and an 18.1% increase compared to 2013. While Belgium registered the largest average vessel size in 2023 (32,446 tonnes), followed by Slovenia (29,578 tonnes) and France (29,173 tonnes), Malta’s decline highlights a deviation from the general upward trend in vessel size observed across the majority of EU countries.
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