Spanish general interest ports exceeded the12.5 million TEUs during the first eight months of 2026, which represents a growth of 0.7% compared to the same period of the previous year, according to the latest data from the Ports of the State.
The evolution of the number of containers contrasts with that recorded by the cargo transported in these units. Thecontainerized cargo reached 126.6 million tons between January and August, 1.5% less than during the same period in 2025.
The data thus shows different behaviors between the number of TEUs managed by Spanish terminals and the tons of cargo transported in containers. In this evolution, factors such as the composition of traffic, the movement of empty containers, and variations in the average load of units, among others, come into play.
Containerized cargo continues to have a significant weight within the activity of Spanish ports. The 126.6 million tons recorded until August represent nearly34% of the 373 million tonsmoved by the entire state port system.
Its weight is even greater within general cargo. Spanish ports accounted for 186.3 million tons of general cargo during the first eight months of the year, 0.6% less. Of that volume, approximately68% corresponded to cargo transported in containers.
The evolution was different for conventional general cargo, which reached 59.7 million tons and increased by 1.2% compared to the same period of the previous fiscal year. This growth partially compensated for the reduction recorded by containerized cargo.
The Spanish container map maintains a high concentration of activity in its main specialized enclaves.Valencia, Algeciras, and Barcelonaaccount for a large part of the TEUs managed by the state port system and play a central role in international maritime connections and in import, export, and transit traffic.
ThePort of Algecirasaccounted for around3.15 million TEUs between January and August, compared to the 3.13 million recorded during the same period in 2025. The year-on-year variation is at 0.8%.
This volume means that approximatelyone in four TEUs moved by Spanish ports until August passed through the Port of Algeciras. Only in August, its terminals accounted for 393,191 TEUs.
Another element that shows a positive evolution is the traffic associated with foreign trade. Import and export containers increased by 1.8%during the first eight months of the fiscal year.The growth of import-export coexists with the reduction of the global volume of containerized cargo, in whose evolution transit and transshipment traffic, which have a significant weight in some of the main specialized Spanish ports for containers, also intervene.
The difference between the evolution of TEUs and that of tons constitutes one of the elements of the port balance until August. While Spanish terminals manage a
0.7% more units, the volume of cargo transported within those containers is1.5% belowthat recorded during the first eight months of 2025.The behavior of containerized cargo occurs within a port system that has moved
373 million tons until August, 1.2% more. The overall growth mainly comes from other segments, with bulk liquids increasing by 4%, up to 123.1 million tons, and solid bulk by 0.5%, up to 52.7 million.The evolution of the coming months will determine whether the increase in the number of TEUs ultimately translates into the volume of cargo transported in containers during the entire fiscal year. As of August, the data maintains a difference of more than two percentage points between both variables.
Container traffic data for August 2026 is already available on
PortStats, the section of El Estrecho Digital dedicated to the consultation and tracking of statistics from Spanish ports, with information by port authorities, types of traffic, and periods.the-spanish-ports-exceed-125-million-teus-in-the-first-eight-months-of-the-year
