Cyprus carries the most dangerous freight in EU

Cyprus recorded the highest share of dangerous goods transported within the EU (tonnes/ kilometres) well above the EU average which sits at 4% says Eurostat.

According to the report, the Member States that recorded the highest shares of dangerous goods in their road transport were Cyprus (9% in 2019, 12% in 2020), Belgium (10%, 9%) and Finland (8%, 7%). In contrast, Slovakia, Ireland, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Latvia recorded shares of dangerous goods of less than 2% in 2019; Ireland, Lithuania and Slovakia recorded such low shares also in 2020.

The largest group transported was ‘flammable liquids’, accounting for more than half of the total transport of dangerous goods in tonne-kilometres (54% in 2019 and 53% in 2020). ‘Gases’ (compressed, liquefied or dissolved under pressure) accounted for 14% in 2019 and 15% in 2020, while ‘corrosives’ accounted for 12% in both years. The distribution between the different types of dangerous goods has remained relatively stable over time.

With regards to the types of all (dangerous and non-dangerous) goods transported in 2020, ‘metal ores and other mining and quarrying products’ was the largest product group transported in terms of tonnage, accounting for one quarter (25%) of the EU total.

Together, ‘other non-metallic mineral products’ and ‘food, beverages and tobacco’, each with a share of 12% of the total, nearly accounted for a further quarter. Another important product group was ‘agricultural, forestry and fishery products’, with a share of 10%.