Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Maritime transport data refer to gross weight of goods (in tonnes), passenger movements (in number of passengers) as well as for vessel traffic (in number of vessels and in gross tonnage of vessels).
3.2. Classification system
The following classifications are applicable:
Maritime Coastal area: the nomenclature is based on the Geonomenclature (the country nomenclature for the external trade statistics of the Community and statistics of trade between Member States, originally drawn up by the Council Regulation (EEC) N°1736/75) in force in the year to which the data refer.
Ports: the codes used are the official UN/LOCODEs, when they exist. If a port does not have an official UN/LOCODE a provisional (numeric) code is attributed to the port. As soon as an official UN/LOCODE is attributed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to the port at the request of the competent national authority, the provisional (numeric) code is replaced by the final official one. In exceptional cases (see for example one-port transport or special aggregation for minor ports) permanent numeric codes are attributed to special locations or activities. The code list of UN/LOCODE is available by country on the UNECE website. According to the relevant directive, Eurostat draws up a list of ports, coded and classified according to countries and maritime coastal areas. The list of ports is included in implementing legal acts and as such is published in the Official Journal of the European Union (the "official" list). The most recent list of ports published in the Official Journal is found in Commission Decision (EU) 2018/1007.
Nationality of registration of vessels: the nomenclature used is the Geonomenclature (the country nomenclature for the external trade statistics of the Community and statistics of trade between Member States, originally drawn up by the Council Regulation (EEC) N°1736/75) in force in the year to which the data refer.
The type of ship classification is harmonised with an internationally agreed International Classification of Ship by Type (ICST).
Seaports with economic activity code according to NACE Rev. 2, Section H, Paragraph 52.24.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
Main concepts used in this domain are the following and for more information on the concepts and methodology, please consult the Reference Manual on Maritime Transport Statistics in Publications - Eurostat (europa.eu).
Port - A place having facilities for merchant ships to moor and to load and/or unload cargo or to disembark and/or embark passengers to or from vessels, usually directly to a pier. Statistical Port - A statistical port consists of one or more ports, normally controlled by a single port authority, which is able to record ship, passenger and cargo movements. Reporting Port- A statistical port for which statistics of inward and outward maritime transport flows are compiled. Main port - A main port is a statistical port which has annual movements of no less than 200 000 passengers or recording more than one millions tonnes of cargo. For ports selected on the basis of only one of these cargo or passenger criteria, detailed statistics are required only for that transport. Maritime coastal area (MCA) - A maritime coastal area is defined as a contiguous stretch of coastline, together with islands offshore. Within a country, an MCA is defined either in terms of one or more ranges of ports along its coastline, or in terms of the latitude and longitude of one or more sets of extremities of the coastal area. Riverbanks can be included. Normally the coastline of each country is allocated to a single maritime coastal area and the coastlines of more than one country may form a single maritime coastal area. There are some exceptions. For example, the USA is separated into a number of maritime coastal areas to cover its overall coastline. For some countries, two separate stretches of coastline may be counted as one maritime coastal area, as, for example, the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines of Mexico. Carriage of goods and passengers by sea - The movement of goods and passengers using seagoing vessels, on voyage which are undertaken wholly or partly by sea. The scope of the Maritime Directive 2009/42/EC also includes goods:
Shipped to offshore installations;
Reclaimed from seabed and unloaded in ports.
Bunkers and stores supplied to vessels shall be excluded from the scope.
Seagoing vessel - Floating marine structure with one or more surface displacement hulls. In the context of the Directive, sea-going vessels are vessels other than those which navigate exclusively in inland waters or in waters within, or closely adjacent to, sheltered waters or areas where port regulations apply. Nationality of registration of seagoing vessel (Flag state) - Every ship is entered in a registry (i.e. list) of ships. Registries are maintained by many countries, each having a set of rules regarding safety procedures, inspection schedules, manning numbers and nationalities for crew and officers, training requirements, etc. Ship-owners select which registry to use based on the balance between the relative cost implications of the rules of each registry and possible penalties from insurance assessments dependent on these rules. Type of cargo - The type of cargo classification, set according to the UNECE - Codes for types of cargo, packages and packaging materials, Recommendation 21, Geneva, March 1986, describes how the goods are being transported in terms of the vessels being used and the port facilities required to handle them. It is therefore very different from the categories of goods classification. Freight container -Special box to carry freight, strengthened and stackable and allowing horizontal or vertical transfers.
Swap bodies are excluded. Although without internal volume flats used in maritime transport should be considered to be a special type of container and therefore are included here. For a fuller description, reference should be made to ISO 668 and 1496.The related term "container cargo" refers to containers, with or without cargo, which are lifted on or off the vessels which carry them by sea.
Ro-Ro unit - This means wheeled equipment for carrying cargo, such as a truck, trailer or semi-trailer, which can be driven or towed onto a vessel. Port or ships' trailers are included in this definition. Classifications should follow United Nations ECE Recommendation No 21 'Codes for types of cargo, packages and packaging materials'. Live animals on the hoof are included. Vehicles being transported as cargo as opposed to a means of transport for freight are recorded in the separate headings of the Ro-Ro cargo classification, when they are rolled on or rolled off a vessel on their own wheels. Ro-Ro cargo - This means goods, whether or not in containers, on Ro-Ro units, and Ro-Ro units, which are rolled on and off the vessels, which carry them by sea. Gross weight of goods -The gross weight of each consignment is the weight of the actual goods together with the immediate packaging in which they are being transported from origin to destination, but excluding the tare weight of containers or Ro-Ro units (e.g. containers, swap bodies and pallets containing goods as well as road goods vehicles, wagons or barges carried on the vessel). This measure of quantity is different from that used in trade statistics, namely the net weight of goods and different from statistics collected on other transport modes where the tare weight is included. Where goods are transported in a road goods vehicle, in a container, or other intermodal transport unit, the gross weight of the goods does not include the tare weightof the transport unit. Gross tonnage - This means the measure of the overall size of a ship determined in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969. Passenger Any person who makes a sea journey on a merchant ship. Service staff assigned to merchant ships is not regarded as passengers. Non-fare paying crewmembers travelling but not assigned and infants in arms are excluded. Cruise passenger - This means a sea passenger making a sea journey on a cruise ship. Passengers on day excursions are excluded. Cruise ship - This means a passenger ship intended to provide passengers with a full tourist experience. All passengers have cabins. Facilities for entertainment aboard are included. Ships operating normal ferry services are excluded, even if some passengers treat the service as a cruise. In addition, cargo-carrying vessels able to carry a very limited number of passengers with their own cabins are also excluded. Ships intended solely for day excursions are also excluded. Cruise passenger excursion - This means a short visit by a cruise passenger to a tourist attraction associated with a port while retaining a cabin on board.
3.5. Statistical unit
A ship calling or leaving the seaport for commercial purpose. All the ships are taken into account, irrespective of the nationality of registration of vessel.
3.6. Statistical population
Detailed data are provided for ports handling more than one million tonnes of goods or recording more than 200 000 passenger movements annually (Main ports). The other ports are required to provide summary data. However, detailed data may be included also for minor ports on a voluntary basis.
3.7. Reference area
The whole country's seaports.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Since 1990.
3.9. Base period
Not applicable.
The units used depend on the variables collected within each data set and are: gross weight of goods expressed in thousands of tonnes; number of passengers in thousands, number of vessels.
TEUs: Twenty feet equivalent units, expressed in units or in thousands depending on the table. TEU calculation coefficients:
20-ft freight units (1 TEU);
40-ft freight units (2 TEU);
Freight units over 20-ft and under 40-ft in length (1.5 TEU);
Freight units over 40-ft long (2.25 TEU).
Quarters for datasets A1, A2, C1, C2, D1, F1 and F2. Whole calendar years for datasets A3, B1 and E1.
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
The dissemination is based on the terms of Commission Decision 2001/423/EC on arrangements for publication or dissemination of the statistical data collected pursuant to Council Directive 95/64/EC on statistical returns in respect of carriage of goods and passengers by sea.
In the process of statistical data collection, processing and analysis and dissemination of statistical information, Statistics Lithuania fully guarantees confidentiality of the data submitted by respondents (households, enterprises, institutions, organisations and other statistical units), as defined in the Confidentiality policy guidelines of Statistics Lithuania.
European level:
(Recital 24 and Article 20(4)) of 11 March 2009 (OJ L 87, p. 164), stipulates the need to establish common principles and guidelines ensuring the confidentiality of data used for the production of European statistics and the access to those confidential data with due account for technical developments and the requirements of users in a democratic society.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
Article 4 of Commission Decision 2001/423/EC mention that: "the highest level of detail in which data may be published or disseminated is the level of port to and from maritime coastal area. The Commission may however publish at more aggregate level if the quality and/or completeness of information are not appropriate in such detail."
Statistical Disclosure Control Manual, approved by Order No DĮ-26 of 19 January 2024 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania;
The State Data Governance Information System Data Security Regulations and Rules for the Secure Management of Electronic Information in the State Data Governance Information System, approved by Order No DĮ-202 of 27 August 2021 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania.
8.1. Release calendar
Statistical information is published on the Official Statistics Portal according to the Official Statistics Calendar.
Statistical information is prepared and disseminated under the principle of impartiality and objectivity, i.e. in a systematic, reliable and unbiased manner, following professional and ethical standards (the European Statistics Code of Practice), and the policies and practices followed are transparent to users and survey respondents.
All users have equal access to statistical information. All statistical information is published at the same time – at 9 a.m. on the day of publication of statistical information as indicated in the calendar on the Official Statistics Portal. Relevant statistical information is sent automatically to news subscribers.
The President and Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania, their advisers, the Ministers of Finance, Economy and Innovation, as well as Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania or their authorized persons, as well as, in exceptional cases, external experts and researchers have the right to receive early statistical information. The specified persons are entitled to receive statistical reports on GDP, inflation, employment and unemployment and other particularly relevant statistical reports one day prior to the publication of this statistical information on the Official Statistics Portal. Before exercising the right of early receipt of statistical information, a person shall sign an undertaking not to disseminate the statistical information received before it has been officially published.
Statistical information is published following the Official Statistics Dissemination Policy Guidelines and Statistical Information Dissemination and Communication Rules of Statistics Lithuania approved by Order No DĮ-176 of 2 July 2021 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania.
Monthly, quaterly, yearly.
10.1. Dissemination format - News release
News releases are not prepared.
10.2. Dissemination format - Publications
Statistical information is not published in publications.
10.3. Dissemination format - online database
Database of Indicators (Transport and Communications –> Sea transport indicators –> Indicators of seaports).
The Indicators Database page is for viewing and analyzing statistical information. For more information on the Indicators Database, see the Database of Indicators User Guide.
10.4. Dissemination format - microdata access
Statistics Lithuania may, on the basis of contracts concluded with higher education institutions or research institutes, provide statistical data to researchers of these higher education institutions and research institutes to carry out specific statistical analyses for research purposes. Statistical data are provided in accordance with the provisions specified in the Description of Procedure for Data Depersonalisation and Pseudonymisation (only in Lithuanian). More information is available on the Official Statistics Portal, in the section Data Provision.
10.5. Dissemination format - other
Statistical information is provided to Eurostat’s database, international organizations, published on social networks, in video messages.
In 2007, a quality management system, conforming to the requirements of the international quality management system standard ISO 9001, was introduced at Statistics Lithuania. Main trends in activity of Statistics Lithuania aimed at quality management and continuous development in the institution are established in the Quality Policy.
Monitoring of the quality indicators of statistical processes and their results and self-evaluation of statistical survey managers is regularly carried out in order to identify areas which need improvement and to promptly eliminate shortcomings.
More information on assurance of quality of statistical information and its preparation is published in the Quality Management section on the Statistics Lithuania website.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Quality of statistical results meets the requirements of accuracy, timeliness and punctuality, comparability and consistency.
According to the annually updated plan of measurement of activity quality indicators of Statistics Lithuania, results of quality indicators of the statistical survey of the movement of ships, cargo and passengers in seaports are presented in fields 13 – 15 of this metadata description. In 2021, a self-assessment of the Maritime Transport Statistical Survey Manager was carried out, which showed that the research results meet the requirements for the quality of statistical information. In 2016, the revision of the statistical form TJU-01 for the movement of ships, cargo and passengers in seaports was carried out, the recommendations received were implemented.
When evaluating statistical indicators, quality of the obtained information is analyzed. Results of the calculation are compared with the results of the previous period and the previous year. Outstanding values of indicators are identified and analyzed. In the event of significant deviations, a data provider shall be contacted and the reasons for the deviation explained.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
The main users of statistical information are State and municipal authorities and agencies, international organisations, the media, research and business communities, students, whose needs are satisfied without a breach of the confidentiality principle. Statistical information is used in forecasting and analyzing economic development.
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
Since 2005, user opinion surveys have been conducted on a regular basis. The Official Statistics Portal traffic is monitored, website visitor opinion polls, general opinion poll on the products and services of Statistics Lithuania, target user group opinion polls and other surveys are conducted.
In 2007, the compilation of a user satisfaction index was launched. The said surveys are aimed at the assessment of the overall demand for and necessity of statistical information in general and specific statistical indicators in particular.
More information on user opinion surveys and results thereof are published in the User Surveys section on the Statistics Lithuania website.
12.3. Completeness
All indicators established by legislation and their components are published.
The survey is exhaustive. Estimation of the values of the missing indicators has no significant effect on the overall accuracy.
13.2. Sampling error
No sample is compiled for the compilation of maritime transport statistics.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Errors not related to the sample are not counted.
14.1. Timeliness
Quarterly data should be transmitted by Member States to Eurostat within five months of the end of the period of observation; annual data within eight months. The Commission (Eurostat) shall disseminate appropriate statistical data with a periodicity comparable to that of the results transmitted (Directive 2009/42/EC).
14.2. Punctuality
Statistical information is published in accordance with an Official Statistics Calendar. In case of delay, users are notified in advance by indicating the reason and a new date of publication.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
Statistical information is comparable between EU countries.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Full comparability over time is ensured.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
Not available.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Monthly, quarterly and annual statistics are internally coherent.
The results published are final and not revised later. Exception – after the detection of significant errors.
18.1. Source data
Sources of statistical data are seaports: Klaipėda State Seaport and Būtingė Oil Terminal.
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Monthly.
18.3. Data collection
Seaports submit statistical data on the flow of ships, cargo and passengers for the previous calendar month in *.xlsx format to Statistics Lithuania according to statistical report TJU-01 on the movement of ships, cargo and passengers in seaports, approved by Order No. DĮ-304 of 30 November 2021 of the Director General of Statistics Lithuania. Statistical report form is tested on a regular basis and, if necessary, upgraded (last tested in 2016). The questionnaire of the statistical survey is published on the website.
18.4. Data validation
A special program is used for statistical data entry, which searches for errors at the time of entry. The requirements for the validation of statistical data are provided in the technical task of the programming work for the statistical survey. Data validation takes place at the time when data is integrated into the statistical database. The formats, the codes and missing values of statistical data are checked. When uncorrectable errors or missing values are detected, the respondents are contacted. To ensure the quality of the statistical data, additional checks of the primary database are performed. The completeness and reliability of integrated data is checked, the relation between indicators is analysed.
18.5. Data compilation
After the checking of statistical data, they are aggregated to the required level of detail. More detailed description of the survey is described in Statistical survey on sea transport methodology - JŪRŲ TRANSPORTO STATISTINIO TYRIMO METODIKA (only in Lithuanian).
18.6. Adjustment
Impact of the season and number of working days on the statistical indicators of seaports is not assessed.
Not available.
Maritime transport data refer to gross weight of goods (in tonnes), passenger movements (in number of passengers) as well as for vessel traffic (in number of vessels and in gross tonnage of vessels).
8 July 2024
Main concepts used in this domain are the following and for more information on the concepts and methodology, please consult the Reference Manual on Maritime Transport Statistics in Publications - Eurostat (europa.eu).
Port - A place having facilities for merchant ships to moor and to load and/or unload cargo or to disembark and/or embark passengers to or from vessels, usually directly to a pier. Statistical Port - A statistical port consists of one or more ports, normally controlled by a single port authority, which is able to record ship, passenger and cargo movements. Reporting Port- A statistical port for which statistics of inward and outward maritime transport flows are compiled. Main port - A main port is a statistical port which has annual movements of no less than 200 000 passengers or recording more than one millions tonnes of cargo. For ports selected on the basis of only one of these cargo or passenger criteria, detailed statistics are required only for that transport. Maritime coastal area (MCA) - A maritime coastal area is defined as a contiguous stretch of coastline, together with islands offshore. Within a country, an MCA is defined either in terms of one or more ranges of ports along its coastline, or in terms of the latitude and longitude of one or more sets of extremities of the coastal area. Riverbanks can be included. Normally the coastline of each country is allocated to a single maritime coastal area and the coastlines of more than one country may form a single maritime coastal area. There are some exceptions. For example, the USA is separated into a number of maritime coastal areas to cover its overall coastline. For some countries, two separate stretches of coastline may be counted as one maritime coastal area, as, for example, the Atlantic and Pacific coastlines of Mexico. Carriage of goods and passengers by sea - The movement of goods and passengers using seagoing vessels, on voyage which are undertaken wholly or partly by sea. The scope of the Maritime Directive 2009/42/EC also includes goods:
Shipped to offshore installations;
Reclaimed from seabed and unloaded in ports.
Bunkers and stores supplied to vessels shall be excluded from the scope.
Seagoing vessel - Floating marine structure with one or more surface displacement hulls. In the context of the Directive, sea-going vessels are vessels other than those which navigate exclusively in inland waters or in waters within, or closely adjacent to, sheltered waters or areas where port regulations apply. Nationality of registration of seagoing vessel (Flag state) - Every ship is entered in a registry (i.e. list) of ships. Registries are maintained by many countries, each having a set of rules regarding safety procedures, inspection schedules, manning numbers and nationalities for crew and officers, training requirements, etc. Ship-owners select which registry to use based on the balance between the relative cost implications of the rules of each registry and possible penalties from insurance assessments dependent on these rules. Type of cargo - The type of cargo classification, set according to the UNECE - Codes for types of cargo, packages and packaging materials, Recommendation 21, Geneva, March 1986, describes how the goods are being transported in terms of the vessels being used and the port facilities required to handle them. It is therefore very different from the categories of goods classification. Freight container -Special box to carry freight, strengthened and stackable and allowing horizontal or vertical transfers.
Swap bodies are excluded. Although without internal volume flats used in maritime transport should be considered to be a special type of container and therefore are included here. For a fuller description, reference should be made to ISO 668 and 1496.The related term "container cargo" refers to containers, with or without cargo, which are lifted on or off the vessels which carry them by sea.
Ro-Ro unit - This means wheeled equipment for carrying cargo, such as a truck, trailer or semi-trailer, which can be driven or towed onto a vessel. Port or ships' trailers are included in this definition. Classifications should follow United Nations ECE Recommendation No 21 'Codes for types of cargo, packages and packaging materials'. Live animals on the hoof are included. Vehicles being transported as cargo as opposed to a means of transport for freight are recorded in the separate headings of the Ro-Ro cargo classification, when they are rolled on or rolled off a vessel on their own wheels. Ro-Ro cargo - This means goods, whether or not in containers, on Ro-Ro units, and Ro-Ro units, which are rolled on and off the vessels, which carry them by sea. Gross weight of goods -The gross weight of each consignment is the weight of the actual goods together with the immediate packaging in which they are being transported from origin to destination, but excluding the tare weight of containers or Ro-Ro units (e.g. containers, swap bodies and pallets containing goods as well as road goods vehicles, wagons or barges carried on the vessel). This measure of quantity is different from that used in trade statistics, namely the net weight of goods and different from statistics collected on other transport modes where the tare weight is included. Where goods are transported in a road goods vehicle, in a container, or other intermodal transport unit, the gross weight of the goods does not include the tare weightof the transport unit. Gross tonnage - This means the measure of the overall size of a ship determined in accordance with the provisions of the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969. Passenger Any person who makes a sea journey on a merchant ship. Service staff assigned to merchant ships is not regarded as passengers. Non-fare paying crewmembers travelling but not assigned and infants in arms are excluded. Cruise passenger - This means a sea passenger making a sea journey on a cruise ship. Passengers on day excursions are excluded. Cruise ship - This means a passenger ship intended to provide passengers with a full tourist experience. All passengers have cabins. Facilities for entertainment aboard are included. Ships operating normal ferry services are excluded, even if some passengers treat the service as a cruise. In addition, cargo-carrying vessels able to carry a very limited number of passengers with their own cabins are also excluded. Ships intended solely for day excursions are also excluded. Cruise passenger excursion - This means a short visit by a cruise passenger to a tourist attraction associated with a port while retaining a cabin on board.
A ship calling or leaving the seaport for commercial purpose. All the ships are taken into account, irrespective of the nationality of registration of vessel.
Detailed data are provided for ports handling more than one million tonnes of goods or recording more than 200 000 passenger movements annually (Main ports). The other ports are required to provide summary data. However, detailed data may be included also for minor ports on a voluntary basis.
The whole country's seaports.
Quarters for datasets A1, A2, C1, C2, D1, F1 and F2. Whole calendar years for datasets A3, B1 and E1.
The survey is exhaustive. Estimation of the values of the missing indicators has no significant effect on the overall accuracy.
The units used depend on the variables collected within each data set and are: gross weight of goods expressed in thousands of tonnes; number of passengers in thousands, number of vessels.
TEUs: Twenty feet equivalent units, expressed in units or in thousands depending on the table. TEU calculation coefficients:
20-ft freight units (1 TEU);
40-ft freight units (2 TEU);
Freight units over 20-ft and under 40-ft in length (1.5 TEU);
Freight units over 40-ft long (2.25 TEU).
After the checking of statistical data, they are aggregated to the required level of detail. More detailed description of the survey is described in Statistical survey on sea transport methodology - JŪRŲ TRANSPORTO STATISTINIO TYRIMO METODIKA (only in Lithuanian).
Sources of statistical data are seaports: Klaipėda State Seaport and Būtingė Oil Terminal.
Monthly, quaterly, yearly.
Quarterly data should be transmitted by Member States to Eurostat within five months of the end of the period of observation; annual data within eight months. The Commission (Eurostat) shall disseminate appropriate statistical data with a periodicity comparable to that of the results transmitted (Directive 2009/42/EC).
Statistical information is comparable between EU countries.
