Summary
The movement of goods in national sea ports registered a positive evolution in the period 2005-2007, with a reversing trend beginning in 2008.
Between 2005 and 2009, among the national main sea ports, Sines was the only one facing an increase in the number of commercial vessels entered (+19.4%) for a total of 1 423 vessels. In the same period, Leixões was the sea port with the best performance in the total movement of goods (-0.1% in annual average terms), while the remaining ports moved downwards exceeding 1%. In 2009 the sea ports of Aveiro, Sines and Lisbon registered the higher relative importance of international traffic, in total loaded and unloaded goods. “Coke and refined petroleum products” was the most important category of goods, in both directions, in sea ports in 2009. The EU was the origin of more than 40% of total unloaded goods in sea ports and the destination of about two thirds of total loaded goods from 2005 to 2009.