Goods transported by ships grow, while sea routes less popular with passengers

The Central Statistical Office (GUS) informed that sea transport recorded a 12.5% turnover growth in 2002, while the fishing and passenger transport sectors slightly decreased. Last year Polish shipyards constructed 30 units, or 2 more than in 2001, and their 2002 orders portfolio was three times bigger than the value of orders for 2003. At present Polish owned or co-owned cargo ships total 114, with a total load capacity of 2.28 billion tones. Over one third of all goods exported last year were transported by sea. Ship owners and tour operators carried almost 560,000 passengers and 111,000 truck drivers last year. Load turnover at ports increased by 2.5% over 2001. (Rzeczpospolita, May, 2-4, p. B4) M.M.