Short-sea shipping. Definition & benefits

What is short-sea shipping?

Short-sea shipping (SSS) refers to the maritime transport of goods over relatively short distances. It is characterized by:

• Operations between nearby coastal ports, usually within the same continent or region.
• Maritime freight transport that does not involve crossing oceans.
• In some cases, the term also includes maritime freight transport on rivers and inland waterways.
• Smaller vessels compared to those used in deep-sea shipping.

The term short-sea shipping was introduced by the European Commission as part of the Motorways of the Sea initiative. Through this program, the European Commission aims to shift freight transport from road to sea, helping to reduce congestion, emissions, and environmental impact while improving the efficiency of European logistics chains.

Other terms with a similar meaning to short-sea shipping, often used in other countries, include coastal shipping and coastal trade. These terms generally refer to the same type of maritime transport: the movement of goods between ports along the same coastline or within a single region.

Advantages of short-sea shipping

Short-sea container shipping has several benefits compared to road transport and rail transport.

• Environmental advantages. Short-sea shipping produces significantly lower CO₂ emissions per tonne-kilometre than road transport and often less than rail. It therefore supports the EU’s sustainability goals by helping to reduce the overall carbon footprint of freight logistics.
• Reduced congestion. By shifting large cargo volumes from roads to sea routes, short-sea shipping eases pressure on highways and border crossings, lowering road congestion and infrastructure wear.
• Cost efficiency. For medium-distance, high-volume transport, short sea freight offers lower unit costs than trucking or rail, especially for bulk cargo and containers.
• Improved connectivity. Short-sea routes can connect industrial regions, ports, and islands efficiently, enhancing access for areas not served by rail and reducing dependency on long road corridors.
• Safety and reliability. Maritime transport has a strong safety record and is less affected by road traffic, accidents, or weather-related disruptions, ensuring stable delivery times.

Maritime shipping achieves the lowest gCO₂ emissions per tkm among all freight transport modes.

Data from European Environment Agency.

Disdvantages of short-sea shipping

• Longer transit times. Sea transport is generally slower than road or rail, especially for short-distance routes where loading, unloading, and port handling can take longer than the actual sailing time. This makes SSS less suitable for time-sensitive or perishable goods.
• Complex logistics and transshipment. Short-sea shipping often requires intermodal handling. Cargo must be transferred between ship, truck, or train. This increases the need for coordination, scheduling, and sometimes adds extra costs and delays at ports.
• Administrative and regulatory barriers. Although the EU promotes a “European maritime transport space without barriers,” customs, documentation, and port procedures can still be complex and time-consuming compared to domestic land transport.
• Higher capital and port fees for smaller volumes. For companies shipping small or irregular quantities, SSS can be less economical due to fixed port and handling fees that are independent of cargo size.

Suitable cargo

Considering the advantages and disadvantages the following types of cargo are suitable for short-sea shipping.

• Containerized cargo. Short-sea shipping efficiently handles containerized goods, including consumer products, electronics, and manufactured components. Containers are easily transferred between ships, trucks, and trains, making SSS ideal for intermodal logistics chains.
• Bulk cargo. Dry bulk (such as grain, coal, cement, fertilizers, or minerals) and liquid bulk (oil products, chemicals, biofuels) are well suited to SSS routes serving industrial ports. These cargoes benefit from economies of scale and regular feeder services.
• Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) cargo. Vehicles, trailers, and heavy machinery can be transported on Ro-Ro vessels. This is common on short sea corridors like the North Sea and Baltic Sea, connecting industrial and logistics hubs.
• Project and breakbulk cargo. Short-sea vessels can carry oversized or heavy project cargo, such as wind-turbine parts, construction equipment, or steel structures, especially between specialized ports with suitable cranes and berths.
• Perishables and temperature-controlled goods. Although slower than road transport, SSS can move refrigerated cargo (e.g., food, beverages, pharmaceuticals) efficiently over moderate distances using reefer containers or Ro-Ro units, particularly when integrated with cold-chain logistics.
• Industrial raw materials and semi-finished goods. Industries located near ports (steel, chemicals, construction, energy) use SSS for steady supply chains of raw materials or intermediate products between coastal plants.

Our solutions for short-sea container shipping

Hoefon Security Seals is an ISO 9001 certified supplier of security seals and transport monitoring equipment. For sealing and securing shipping containers we recommend our ISO 17712:2013 certified bolt seals and cable security seals. Our portfolio of damage indicators and transport monitoring devices includes tilt indicators, temperature loggers, and humidity loggers, designed to ensure safe and traceable cargo handling throughout the supply chain. Please contact us for more information or tailored advice on our security and monitoring solutions.

Photo Credits & Licenses

Photo: “mv Dependent on the New Waterway near Rotterdam” by Niels Johannes, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.