In 2025 German inland shipping carried 171.6 million tonnes of goods-about 1.3 % less than the 173.8 million tonnes moved the year before. It was the lowest figure recorded since the country’s reunification in 1990.
The decline comes chiefly from exports. Goods shipped abroad fell to 41.1 million tonnes, 4.8 % below the preceding year, while imports grew slightly to 77.0 million tonnes (+0.6 %). Domestic traffic stayed flat at 42.8 million tonnes (+0.2 %), whereas transit traffic dropped sharply to 10.7 million tonnes (‑5.4 %).
Looking at cargo categories, dry bulk dominated the scene, with 92.5 million tonnes-a 1.5 % decrease-making up 53.9 % of all freight. Liquid bulk followed with 49.0 million tonnes (‑1.9 %) and a 28.5 % share. Containers carried 16.6 million tonnes (‑1.0 %) and accounted for 9.7 % of the total, while other types of cargo added 13.5 million tonnes (+2.4 %) and 7.9 % of the volume.
The most important specific goods were liquid mineral oils-27.8 million tonnes (‑2.7 %)-stones and soils-20.0 million tonnes (‑0.7 %), iron ore-17.7 million tonnes (‑12.7 %) and coal-16.1 million tonnes (+5.9 %). Together these four groups comprised 47.5 % of all inland shipping in 2025.
Cross‑border traffic was concentrated around the so‑called “ARA ports” of Rotterdam, Antwerp, and Amsterdam. Between Rotterdam and Germany, vessels moved 57.2 million tonnes, making Rotterdam the leading node for international inland shipping. Antwerp handled 17.7 million tonnes, and Amsterdam 9.0 million tonnes. These three ports were responsible for 84.0 million tonnes, or 71.1 % of the 118.1 million tonnes of goods transported in foreign trade that year.
In terms of national flags, Dutch‑flagged vessels carried 55.1 % of all inland freight in 2025, while German‑flagged ships moved just under a third of the total (31.7 %).
