TIRANA, Oct 30 /ATA/ – Albania’s maritime sector saw growth in cargo volumes, vessel traffic and passenger flows during the third quarter of this year, with the southernmost port of Saranda emerging as the country’s busiest passenger hub, according to official data published on Thursday.
The port of Durrës remained the main gateway for maritime trade, handling 95% of total sea freight – or around 2.1 million tonnes – up 17.5% compared with the same period last year.
The four commercial ports – Durrës, Vlorë, Shëngjin and Limion (Saranda) – processed a range of goods, led by coke and refined petroleum products, which accounted for 19.3% of all cargo. Metal products represented 15.8%, while non-metal mineral goods made up 13.7%. Crude oil, lignite and natural gas comprised 6.5%.
A total of 261 cargo vessels entered and exited Albanian ports in the July–September period, of which 250 were foreign-flagged.
Passenger transport also recorded strong activity. More than one million passengers travelled through the ports of Saranda, Durrës and Vlorë during the summer quarter. Saranda accounted for the largest share with 49.2% of all passengers, followed by Durrës with 40.8% and Vlorë with 10%, reflecting rising tourism flows and cross-border ferry travel.
In maritime trade, total cargo imports and exports reached 1.47 million tonnes in the third quarter, an increase of 5.6% year-on-year.
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