Port of Dover is Europe's busiest ferry port, handling ?144 billion of trade or 33% of the UKs trade in goods. Our history is vast and the Port is continually developing to ensure our future.

No, the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands is the undisputed busiest port in Europe by both cargo tonnage and container volume, handling over 435 million tons of goods annually. When it comes to container throughput, Rotterdam, Antwerp-Bruges, and Hamburg hold the top three spots. However, the Port of Dover remains one of the world's busiest Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferry ports. It is a critical gateway for trade between the UK and the European Union, handling millions of trucks and passengers every year across the English Channel. While it doesn't compete with the massive industrial tonnage of the North Sea ports, Dover’s strategic importance for "just-in-time" logistics and passenger transit makes it a vital, high-traffic node that often experiences significant congestion during peak 2026 holiday periods or due to post-Brexit border checks.