Automobile traffic in the Port of Barcelona has experienced a significant recovery during the last few weeks, a fact that has allowed the nine months of the year to close with a 3.5% increase. The reason has been mainly imports, which surged 36% compared to the same period in 2024.
This significant increase is due to the reestablishment since mid-year of capacity in car carrier ship services, combined with a rebound in sales in the European vehicle market and their corresponding arrival, largely from China.
For its part, the movement of full import and export containers reflects the health of the Port de Barcelona’s hinterland economy, with a 5.6% increase, due to rising imports from countries like China, Turkey, India, Vietnam, or Bangladesh and exports to the United States, United Arab Emirates, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, India, or South Korea, among others. Thus, import containers grew by 6.2% while export containers grew by 5.2%.
However, the total volume of this traffic records a 5.1% decrease. As in recent months, the decline is mainly due to the drop in transit containers (-15.5%), due to the readjustments of the maritime routes of the main shipping lines, which two years ago increased transits through the Port de Barcelona to adapt to the crisis situation in the Red Sea.
In this line, solid bulks also declined, specifically 12.8%, despite the good performance of segments like non-metallic minerals (+98%). The reason is the decrease in the export of common salt (-33%) and potash (-23%), as well as in the movement of cement and clinker, which is reduced by almost 30%.
Energy Hub
Nevertheless, the rest of the traffic records positive performances. The movement of liquid bulk continues to rise, with a 17.1% increase compared to the same period the previous year. Gasoline (+45%) and natural gas (+58%) stand out especially, driving the total hydrocarbons to a growth of 34.4%.
Regarding short-distance maritime traffic, a total of 329,683 Intermodal Transport Units (ITU) have been moved in the Port de Barcelona, a figure almost identical to that of 2024.
Thus, the total cargo traffic in the Port de Barcelona for the January-September period stood at 52,315,200 tons, 1.6% less than last year.
