This annual publication contains a compilation of statistics about passenger and freight traffic through UK ports, as well as on merchant ships owned or registered in the UK and the Crown Dependencies, and the world fleet. Statistics for 2006 include: total freight traffic through all UK ports totalled 584 million tonnes, one million lower than in 2005; ports in England and Northern Ireland saw increase in freight traffic whilst Scottish and Welsh ports saw a decrease, a trend which has continued since 2000; liquid bulk totalled 250 million, by tonnage the largest cargo handled at UK ports (mostly crude oil and oil products), whilst dry bulk movements totalled 133 million tonnes (mostly coal); Grimsby and Immingham remained the UK's leading port, followed by Tees and Hartlepool and London.