Maritime Trade and Transport - HWWI

Among exports from the EU to other countries in 2004, petroleum products were also the
most important category of goods in volume in sea traffic. They amounted to almost one
third of goods exported from the EU. Foods and animal fodder (Commodity Groups No. 0
and 1) accounted for a share of 15.3%, chemical products for 11.22%. Foodstuffs and animal
fodder, as well as agricultural and forestry products and live animals, each showed export volu
mes of just under 8%. Another 18.5% fell to vehicles, machines, semi-finished and finished
articles, and special cargo, whereby this group was the most significant in exports by value.
In interpreting these figures, it should be noted that the total volume serving as a basis for
the export shares is much lower than that for the import shares.
Sea traffic is much less important for intra-EU trade than for external EU trade (see Fig. 15).
Road traffic dominates in the exchange of goods between the member states. In 2004, it
accounted for a share of 31.1% of the transport volume (in tons). Sea and coastal shipping
(short sea shipping), with a share of only 18.1%, held only second place. It was followed by
pipelines with 7.7% and rail transport with 6.1%. Inland shipping accounted for 4.5% of
intra-EU trade. With only 0.1% by volume, air traffic did not play a major role in intra-EU
trade. The share of road traffic by trade value, which amounted to 47.6% in 2004, was even
larger. This means that higher-value merchandise is transported on the road. The same applies
to air traffic, which holds a higher share by value than by amount. Nevertheless, air traffic
only accounted for 2.3% of intra-EU trade by value. Goods with a relatively low ratio of value
to volume are transported by sea. Accordingly, maritime trade accounted for a very low share
of intra-EU trade by value, only 11.2%.
Share of various types of goods in extra-EU trade, 2005
Fig. 14
Volume in tons Value in euros
NST/R Chapter Imports Exports Imports Exports
0 Agricultural and forestry products, live animals 3.2 7.6 3.7 1.8
1 Other foodstuffs and animal fodder 6.2 7.7 7.2 7.0
2 Solid mineral fuels 15.1 0.6 2.1 0.1
3 Petroleum products 46.6 30.8 30.4 7.5
4 Ore and metal waste 11.8 5.9 2.7 1.2
5 Iron, steel, and nonferrous metals (incl. semi-finished) 2.8 6.9 4.8 5.7
6 Stones, earth, and building materials 4.5 8.7 0.9 1.4
7 Fertilizers 1.2 2.1 0.3 0.3
8 Chemical products 3.0 11.2 6.4 13.2
9 Vehicles, machines, other semi-finished and finished 5.5 18.5 41.5 61.9
articles, and special cargo
Source: Comext (2006).
Berenberg Bank · HWWI: Strategy 2030 · No. 4
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