The maritime transport sector in Portugal is expected to reach 1.5 billion euros in revenue in 2025, representing a 6% growth compared to the previous year, according to an analysis by Informa D&B released this Tuesday, the 14th. Based on 2024 figures, cargo traffic in Portuguese ports reached 85.6 million tonnes, up 4.3% from 2023, while the volume of loaded goods grew by 9.1%, with a moderate increase in discharges (1.5%). Passenger traffic, excluding cruise ships, totalled 1.92 million people, down 1.3% from 2023, concentrated almost entirely in the Azores and Madeira archipelagos. For cruise ships, passenger numbers rose to 1.82 million, an 8.7% increase over 2023. The number of operators providing maritime passenger transport continued the upward trend started in 2021, reaching 286 (up 6.7%), while those in maritime freight transport fell to 81, down 4.7% compared to 2023. The Portuguese-flagged merchant fleet continued its expansion in 2025, totalling 1,190 vessels, an increase of 14.6% over 2024. Regarding the age of the Portuguese-flagged merchant fleet, 53% of vessels are between 11 and 20 years old, while nearly 17% are under 5 years old and 14.5% are between 6 and 10 years old. Informa D&B noted that the positive trend has been maintained since 2022, driven by increased mobility of people and goods and domestic and foreign tourism demand, as well as the impact of rising maritime transport costs on inflation.