EU Maritime Passenger Traffic Surge in 2023: Key Insights and Statistics

In 2023, ports in the European Union saw a significant increase in maritime passenger traffic, with a total of 395.3 million passengers recorded, marking a 5.8% increase from the previous year. Data released by Eurostat on December 9 highlighted the prominent role played by Italian and Greek ports in this growth. Italian ports led the way with 85.4 million passengers, accounting for 22% of the EU’s total, followed closely by Greek ports with 75.0 million passengers (19%) and Denmark with 41.2 million passengers (10%).

The report revealed that eleven EU countries, each handling over 10 million passengers, accounted for 97% of the bloc’s total maritime passenger traffic. Compared to 2022, 16 of the 21 EU countries experienced an increase in maritime passengers in 2023, with Italy, Greece, and France seeing the largest growth. The EU’s 10 busiest ports collectively accounted for more than one-fifth (22%) of total maritime passenger traffic, with a mix of ports from the Mediterranean, Baltic Sea, and North-eastern Atlantic regions.

Among the top 10 busiest ports in the EU, only three experienced passenger growth compared to 2019. Messina in Italy retained its position as the busiest passenger port with 11.3 million passengers, followed by Reggio di Calabria in Italy with 11.1 million and Piraeus in Greece with 9.6 million passengers. Palma de Mallorca in Spain, Reggio di Calabria, and Piraeus saw increases of 0.4 million and 0.2 million passengers, respectively, indicating a mixed trend in passenger growth among the EU’s major ports.

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