Port of Tallinn Sees Strong 2025 Growth on Cargo and Cruise Surge

TALLINN, ESTONIA – January 09, 2026 – AS Tallinna Sadam has announced a year of significant operational growth for 2025, with both cargo volumes and passenger numbers showing a steady upward trend. The port complex, a critical hub in the Baltic Sea, handled nearly 14 million tonnes of cargo and over 8 million passengers, marking the third consecutive quarter of increased volumes and signaling a robust recovery in regional trade and tourism.

The positive results were largely propelled by a remarkable surge in liquid bulk cargo and a strong comeback in the cruise tourism sector. The company’s full-year cargo volume grew by 5.1%, while passenger traffic saw a 1.0% increase. The performance in the fourth quarter was particularly strong, with cargo volumes climbing 5.6% and passenger numbers rising 0.9% compared to the same period in 2024.

Valdo Kalm, the Chairman of the Board of Tallinna Sadam, expressed satisfaction with the year's performance. “We are satisfied with the results of the year in terms of operating volumes. The growth in cargo volume met our expectations and we continue to be positive in terms of passenger business, which is based, among other things, on the growth in cruise ship bookings,” he stated.

Liquid Bulk and Ro-Ro Drive Cargo Momentum

The standout performer in Tallinna Sadam's 2025 cargo operations was liquid bulk, which experienced explosive growth. Volumes skyrocketed by 87.9% in the fourth quarter and finished the year with a 46.7% increase, totaling nearly 2 million tonnes. This dramatic rise suggests the port is successfully capitalizing on the reconfiguration of energy supply chains across Europe. While the broader European Union saw a decline in liquid bulk handling in early 2025, several Baltic ports, including those in Lithuania and Latvia, reported similar surges. This positions the Baltic Sea as an increasingly vital energy artery for the continent, with Tallinna Sadam emerging as a key player in this new logistical landscape.

Another bright spot was the ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) cargo segment. Although full-year volumes saw a slight dip of 2.1%, the fourth quarter delivered a powerful rebound with a 5.8% increase, reaching the highest Q4 level in four years. This late-year recovery is particularly noteworthy as it runs counter to trends in other parts of the region, where major ports in Sweden and Finland reported contractions in ro-ro traffic. The strong performance suggests a localized recovery in vehicle and trailer-based freight or that Tallinna Sadam has gained a competitive edge on key routes.

“In the fourth quarter, we saw an increase in the number of passengers and cargo volume for the third quarter in a row,” Kalm noted. “We are pleased that in addition to liquid bulk, which led an increase in cargo volume this year, the volume of ro-ro also increased.”

However, not all cargo segments shared in the growth. Container traffic remained largely flat for the year, with a 7% decline in the fourth quarter. Dry bulk and general cargo also saw declines in the final quarter, though dry bulk posted a modest 5.2% gain for the full year.

Cruise Tourism Rebounds with Winter Season Success

On the passenger front, the most significant development was the vigorous recovery of cruise tourism. The number of cruise passengers jumped by 25.3% for the full year, with the fourth quarter seeing an impressive 107.8% increase. This growth was substantially boosted by a strategic expansion of winter cruise calls, a move that is helping to transform Tallinn into a year-round destination.

“The number of winter cruise calls that started last year was even higher this year, which made a good contribution to the increase in the number of passengers,” Kalm commented. This success aligns with a broader, powerful rebound in cruise activity across the Baltic Sea, where ports in Riga and Klaipeda also reported record or near-record passenger numbers. The trend indicates that traveler confidence has fully returned, with EU-wide cruise passenger figures having already surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2023.

The port’s busiest route, Tallinn-Helsinki, continued its steady performance with a 1.3% annual increase in passengers, solidifying its role as a core revenue driver. In contrast, the Tallinn-Stockholm route experienced a 12% decline in passenger traffic, reflecting shifting travel patterns or competitive pressures on that specific corridor.

Adapting to a Changing Maritime Landscape

Beneath the headline growth figures, the port is navigating fundamental shifts in the maritime industry. One of the most significant trends is the move towards fewer but larger vessels to achieve greater economies of scale. Tallinna Sadam's 2025 data reflects this perfectly: while total vessel calls remained flat for the year, they decreased by 4.8% in the fourth quarter even as cargo throughput rose.

Kalm acknowledged this shift, stating, “There were slightly fewer ship visits, but at the same time the ships that visited our ports were larger.” This global trend requires ports to make significant investments in infrastructure, including deeper berths, larger cranes, and more efficient landside logistics to handle the concentrated cargo volumes from these mega-ships. Tallinna Sadam’s ability to increase its cargo handling despite fewer calls indicates it is successfully adapting to this new operational reality.

While most segments showed resilience or growth, the company's specialized shipping business faced headwinds. The icebreaker Botnica, which is chartered for icebreaking and offshore projects, saw its charter days decrease by a substantial 19% for the year, resulting in a utility rate of just 49%. This downturn could be attributed to a combination of factors, including milder winter conditions reducing the need for icebreaking services, increased competition in the offshore support vessel market, or a slowdown in relevant offshore projects in the Baltic and beyond.

This mixed performance highlights the diverse challenges and opportunities facing the port complex. While its core port operations are thriving by adapting to new trade flows and tourism trends, its specialized assets remain subject to more volatile, project-based market conditions. The port’s overall positive trajectory, however, underscores its strategic importance and operational agility in a dynamic Baltic region.