Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s most sea-dependent economies, with maritime transport continuing to underpin both its trade profile and broader freight activity. In 2024, 98.6% of imports and 97.2% of exports by weight moved by sea, underscoring the island’s structural reliance on shipping.
Maritime Transport Still Drives Cyprus Freight
The dependence on sea transport is equally clear in freight activity. Measured in tonne-kilometres, maritime transport accounted for 96.3% of Cyprus’ freight movement in 2024, the third-highest share in the EU after Portugal and Greece.
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That position reflects more than geography. Cyprus has built a maritime ecosystem that gives shipping outsized economic importance, from port activity to ship management services and fleet operations.
Sea Routes Dominate EU Trade Flows
Across the European Union, maritime transport remained the dominant mode for international trade in goods in 2025, according to fresh Eurostat data.
The bloc imported 1.1 billion tonnes of goods from non-EU countries by sea, worth €1,270 billion, while exports transported by sea totalled 0.5 billion tonnes, valued at €1,069 billion.
By weight, sea transport accounted for 73.3% of all EU imports and 72.6% of exports. In value terms, however, its share fell to 50.2% of imports and 40.4% of exports, reflecting the role of air and road transport in moving higher-value goods.
Air And Road Carry Less Weight, But More Value
Air freight illustrates the contrast most sharply. It represented just 0.3% of imports and 2.9% of exports by weight, yet carried 20.7% of import value and 29.1% of export value.
Road transport showed a similar pattern. It accounted for 6% of imports and 17.4% of exports by weight, but made up 19.5% and 24.9% respectively by value.
Rail remained a smaller contributor to EU trade logistics, representing 2.6% of imports and 2.9% of exports by volume, and 1.2% and 1.3% respectively by value.
A Strategic Maritime Hub In The Eastern Mediterranean
Cyprus’ dependence on maritime transport is closely tied to its island geography, but also to the scale and sophistication of its shipping sector. According to the Shipping Deputy Ministry, Cyprus has the world’s 11th-largest fleet and the third-largest in Europe. It is also the continent’s largest third-party shipmanagement centre.
The Eurostat release was timed to coincide with World Maritime Day on September 24. This year’s theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence,” highlights a broader policy challenge across Europe: turning strategic maritime ambitions into practical economic advantage.
