Freight handled by UK major ports fell 5% year on year in the second quarter of 2026, according to provisional Department for Transport statistics published on 10 September.
UK major ports handled 101.4 million tonnes of freight between April and June 2026. The total was 5% lower than in the corresponding period of 2025. The figures cover freight moving through major ports and are not yet final.
Inward freight accounted for 68.6 million tonnes, a year-on-year decrease of 4%. Outward tonnage was 32.8 million tonnes, down 6% compared with April to June 2025. The two categories together make up the reported quarterly total.
Unitised traffic changed by less than the overall freight measure. Total unitised traffic declined by less than 1% to 5.5 million units during the quarter. Inward unitised traffic rose by less than 1% to 3 million units, while outward unitised traffic fell 1% to 2.5 million units.
The rolling-year figures also showed a decline. In the 12 months to June 2026, total freight tonnage was 411.9 million tonnes, down 3% from the rolling year to June 2025. Rolling annual unitised traffic stood at 21.3 million units, a decrease of less than 1%.
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The Department for Transport said its 2026 quarterly estimates will be finalised in the annual publication expected in July 2027. Until then, the current figures should be treated as provisional rather than as the final account of port freight for the year.
For accurate trend analysis, the department advises users to rely on the high-level quarterly total table. That guidance is relevant because the release also includes estimates for cargo groups, which draw on information supplied by ports and shipping agents.
Where substantial shipping-agent data are missing, the DfT may impute a value using the equivalent quarter of the preceding year. The department’s methodology therefore includes a stated estimation process alongside the reported port information.
The release provides an early view of freight volumes through UK major ports in the second quarter and over the year to June. The later annual publication is expected to replace the provisional quarterly estimates with finalised 2026 figures.
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