HMAP Dataset 19: Estonian Fisheries: Pärnu City Customs Records

Pärnu has, through the centuries, been regarded primarily as a trade port. Alongside Riga and Tallinn, Pärnu traditionally welcomed trade with the Hansa people since 1346. Pärnu's importance in the transit trade between the Hanseatic League and Russia decreased rather rapidly during the 14th century, and by the 15th century, Pärnu had evolved to primarily exporting local products. This tendency continued throughout the Swedish and the Russian reigns. In the second half of the 18th century, Pärnu was one of the three most important ports of Estonia; these ports acted as hubs of foreign trade. However, Tallinn, Pärnu and Narva were greatly overshadowed by the ports of Riga and St. Petersburg. In the 1780s, approximately 100-150 ships annually docked at the Port of Tallinn whilst in Pärnu the corresponding figure was 100, and in Narva, less than 100. In contrast, 1000-1200 vessels docked annually in Riga, and the count in St. Petersburg was between 600 and 700 vessels annually. The navigable River Daugava provided Riga with a vast mercantile hinterland, and St. Petersburg's development was supported by the Russian government. Yet, at the end of the 18th and into the early 19th century, Pärnu became one of Estonia's key ports of export supported primarily by the South Estonia hinterland, but also by Central Estonia and North Latvia.

数个世纪以来，帕尔努（Pärnu）始终被视作核心贸易港口。自1346年起，它便与里加（Riga）、塔林（Tallinn）一道，长期开展与汉萨同盟商人的贸易往来。14世纪期间，帕尔努在汉萨同盟与俄罗斯之间的转口贸易中的地位迅速下滑；至15世纪，其已转型为以出口本土商品为主的港口。这一发展趋势在瑞典与俄罗斯的统治时期持续延续。
18世纪下半叶，帕尔努已是爱沙尼亚境内三大核心外贸港口之一，承担着对外贸易枢纽的职能。但彼时塔林、帕尔努与纳尔瓦（Narva）的港口发展，远被里加与圣彼得堡（St. Petersburg）的港口所掩盖。1780年代，塔林港年均停靠船舶约100至150艘，帕尔努港年均停靠船舶为100艘，纳尔瓦港则不足100艘；与之形成鲜明对比的是，里加港年均停靠船舶达1000至1200艘，圣彼得堡港年均停靠船舶则为600至700艘。
通航的道加瓦河（Daugava）为里加提供了广阔的商贸腹地，而圣彼得堡的发展亦得到俄罗斯政府的鼎力扶持。然而在18世纪末至19世纪初，依托爱沙尼亚南部腹地（辅以爱沙尼亚中部与拉脱维亚北部的商贸资源），帕尔努再度成为爱沙尼亚关键的出口港口之一。