The EU moved most of its trade with non-EU countries by sea in 2025.
The bloc imported 1.1 billion tonnes of goods by sea from outside the EU, worth €1,270 billion, Eurostat reported on Thursday.
Exports shipped by sea totalled 0.5 billion tonnes, valued at €1,069 billion.
Maritime transport accounted for 73.3% of all imports and 72.6% of all exports by weight in 2025.
Measured by value, sea made up 50.2% of import value and 40.4% of export value.
Air transport made up a small share by weight but a larger share by value.
Only 0.3% of imports and 2.9% of exports were carried by air, while those shipments accounted for 20.7% of the EU’s total import value and 29.1% of its total export value.
Road and rail show different patterns by weight and value
Goods moved by road represented 6.0% of imports and 17.4% of exports by weight in 2025, Eurostat said.
By value, road transport accounted for 19.5% of imports and 24.9% of exports.
Rail carried 2.6% of imports and 2.9% of exports by weight, while its share by value was 1.2% for imports and 1.3% for exports.
The figures were published in a Eurostat news update marking World Maritime Day on 24 September.
