UK ports handled 428.3 million tonnes of freight in 2025, a decrease of less than 1% compared to 2024, according to annual port freight statistics published by the Department for Transport. While overall volumes remained broadly stable, the figures reveal significant shifts in cargo composition reflecting wider changes in trade, energy and the broader economy. Container traffic recorded the strongest performance, growing 10% to 66.9 million tonnes, driven by strong import demand and additional capacity at DP World London Gateway. The increase saw London overtake Felixstowe as the UK’s largest container port by tonnage, marking a notable shift in the competitive landscape among major UK container gateways. Liquid bulk traffic fell 2 percent, reflecting continued declines in crude oil movements linked to changing North Sea production and refinery activity. Increased LNG imports partially offset this decline and helped Milford Haven become the UK’s third busiest port by total tonnage. RoRo traffic decreased 2% to 97.0 million tonnes, remaining the second largest cargo category handled by UK ports. Dry bulk declined 3 percent, continuing a longer-term trend of reduction in traditional bulk commodities including coal and ores. George Finch, Senior Economic Analyst at the British Ports Association, described the container growth as demonstrating the importance of continued infrastructure investment to support future trade, while characterising declines in traditional bulk cargoes as reflections of structural economic change rather than port sector underperformance. He highlighted the figures as evidence of the sector’s resilience and its continuing central role in the nation’s trade and supply chains. The post UK ports recorded decline in 2025 appeared first on Container News .