Cargo ships, tankers and passenger ships: South Korea exports and imports
HS 8901 · 순항선ㆍ유람선ㆍ페리보트(ferry-boat)ㆍ화물선ㆍ부선(barge)과 이와 유사한 선박(사람이나 화물 수송용으로 한정한다) · latest month: October 2026
In October 2026, South Korea exported $2.39 billion of cargo ships, tankers and passenger ships (HS 8901), down 32.2% from September 2026 and up 13.1% from October 2025.
Over the 12 months to October 2026, exports of cargo ships, tankers and passenger ships (HS 8901) totalled $29.38 billion, up 12.1% from the 12 months before ($26.21 billion).
The largest destination over the 12 months to October 2026 was the Marshall Islands ($7.90 billion, 26.9% of the total), followed by Singapore and Liberia.
That was 95.4% of South Korea's exports under HS chapter 89 (ships and boats) over the same 12 months.
Imports in October 2026 were $454.1 million (up 35.6% from October 2025), leaving a surplus of $1.94 billion for the month.
Official description of HS 8901: Cruise ships, excursion boats, ferry-boats, cargo ships, barges and similar vessels for the transport of persons or goods.
Last 24 months
Subheadings under HS 8901
| Code | Product | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8901.10 | Cruise ships, excursion boats and similar vessels principally designed for the transport of persons; ferry-boats of all | $16.4M | 0.1% | -63.6% | $230K |
| 8901.20 | Tankers | $21.21B | 72.2% | +80.2% | $1.67B |
| 8901.30 | Refrigerated vessels, other than those of subheading 8901.20 | $7.1M | 0.0% | – | $0 |
| 8901.90 | Other vessels for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goods | $8.14B | 27.7% | -43.5% | $724.1M |
| 8901.90.1000 | Vessels for the transport of goods | $8.14B | 100.0% | -43.4% | $724.1M |
| 8901.90.2000 | Vessels for the transport of both persons and goods | $1.5M | 0.0% | -85.6% | $0 |
Six-digit codes are international; the indented ten-digit codes are South Korea's own subdivision. These rows are world totals; "Share" is the share of the row above.
Top destinations
Export value over the 12 months to October 2026. 44 countries received this product from South Korea in the last 24 months; the table shows the largest 20.
| Rank | Country | Exports, 12 months | Share | vs 12 months before | Rank before | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marshall Islands | $7.90B | 26.9% | +139.2% | 3 | $400.4M |
| 2 | Singapore | $5.58B | 19.0% | +45.9% | 2 | $754.9M |
| 3 | Liberia | $3.53B | 12.0% | -41.5% | 1 | $121.1M |
| 4 | Malta | $2.92B | 9.9% | +45.9% | 6 | $214.9M |
| 5 | France | $1.73B | 5.9% | -42.6% | 4 | $214.9M |
| 6 | Bermuda | $1.47B | 5.0% | -30.0% | 5 | $0 |
| 7 | Greece | $1.38B | 4.7% | +134.8% | 10 | $0 |
| 8 | Panama | $1.21B | 4.1% | -14.3% | 8 | $133.1M |
| 9 | Bahamas | $1.17B | 4.0% | +241.1% | 11 | $260.7M |
| 10 | Norway | $655.6M | 2.2% | – | – | $115.8M |
| 11 | Belgium | $569.6M | 1.9% | +167.6% | 12 | $0 |
| 12 | Denmark | $416.0M | 1.4% | -78.3% | 7 | $110.3M |
| 13 | Australia | $235.8M | 0.8% | +40.9% | 13 | $0 |
| 14 | China | $138.1M | 0.5% | +383.7% | 21 | $43.6M |
| 15 | United States | $123.7M | 0.4% | – | – | $0 |
| 16 | Bangladesh | $78.0M | 0.3% | +8,911% | 34 | $0 |
| 17 | Indonesia | $61.3M | 0.2% | +111.3% | 20 | $0 |
| 18 | United Kingdom | $42.0M | 0.1% | -68.3% | 14 | $0 |
| 19 | Oman | $35.7M | 0.1% | – | – | $230K |
| 20 | Philippines | $28.6M | 0.1% | +36.4% | 22 | $975K |
Countries are linked when exports of this product to them reached $5,000,000 over 24 months.
Monthly figures
| Month | Exports | vs year earlier | Export weight | Export $/kg | Imports | Import weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 2026 | $2.39B | +13.1% | 1,034,973 t | $2.31 | $454.1M | 330,649 t |
| September 2026 | $3.53B | +42.8% | 1,273,697 t | $2.77 | $228.0M | 255,528 t |
| August 2026 | $1.58B | -46.3% | 514,478 t | $3.07 | $188.8M | 302,626 t |
| July 2026 | $3.05B | +48.4% | 1,295,710 t | $2.35 | $786.0M | 951,473 t |
| June 2026 | $2.66B | +16.9% | 1,075,695 t | $2.47 | $401.1M | 743,065 t |
| May 2026 | $2.45B | +15.6% | 591,864 t | $4.14 | $452.8M | 525,979 t |
| April 2026 | $2.61B | +64.0% | 1,045,739 t | $2.50 | $202.7M | 302,285 t |
| March 2026 | $2.60B | -6.4% | 771,748 t | $3.36 | $150.1M | 148,629 t |
| February 2026 | $2.10B | +47.4% | 631,464 t | $3.33 | $125.1M | 53,330 t |
| January 2026 | $2.21B | +10.1% | 704,938 t | $3.14 | $329.4M | 187,633 t |
| December 2025 | $2.83B | +39.2% | 948,775 t | $2.99 | $170.1M | 99,674 t |
| November 2025 | $1.36B | -43.4% | 419,501 t | $3.23 | $415.3M | 377,390 t |
| October 2025 | $2.12B | +10.6% | 826,337 t | $2.56 | $335.0M | 195,075 t |
| September 2025 | $2.47B | +12.6% | 1,047,280 t | $2.36 | $336.0M | 195,195 t |
| August 2025 | $2.94B | +9.1% | 1,139,699 t | $2.58 | $135.3M | 54,987 t |
| July 2025 | $2.05B | +118.8% | 812,848 t | $2.52 | $317.6M | 353,919 t |
| June 2025 | $2.27B | +66.5% | 982,964 t | $2.31 | $335.3M | 451,074 t |
| May 2025 | $2.12B | +10.5% | 1,021,967 t | $2.08 | $357.1M | 303,343 t |
| April 2025 | $1.59B | +3.3% | 770,307 t | $2.07 | $415.7M | 339,584 t |
| March 2025 | $2.77B | +60.3% | 1,148,022 t | $2.42 | $367.0M | 462,257 t |
| February 2025 | $1.43B | +0.5% | 708,956 t | $2.01 | $147.6M | 107,639 t |
| January 2025 | $2.01B | -3.7% | 682,327 t | $2.95 | $253.6M | 132,435 t |
| December 2024 | $2.04B | +32.3% | 1,072,968 t | $1.90 | $597.0M | 588,461 t |
| November 2024 | $2.40B | +79.6% | 878,884 t | $2.73 | $151.8M | 93,499 t |
Exports FOB, imports CIF, US dollars. Weight is net weight. "vs year earlier" compares export value with the same month one year before and is left blank when that month was under $10,000. Source: Korea Customs Service, via data.go.kr.