2023 total
262.7 million tonnes
First port · 2023
70.3 million tonnes
Series high, 2012–2025
278.8 million tonnes
Of which, containerised cargo
178.7 million tonnes
The 2023 balance
Spanish ports handled 262.7 million tonnes of general cargo traffic in 2023, 2.9% less than in 2022 (7.81 million less). This is the year-end balance according to Puertos del Estado’s monthly statistics, with December data for the 28 port authorities.
The high point of the 2012–2025 series is 2025, with 278.8 million tonnes: 2023 was 5.8% below it and ranks 7th of the 14 years with data.
In the 2023 ranking, the ports moving up on 2022 are Santa Cruz de Tenerife (from 7th to 6th), Santander (from 10th to 9th) and Pasaia (from 12th to 10th); those moving down are Bilbao (from 6th to 7th). The top three positions are unchanged.
Of which, containerised cargo: 178.7 million tonnes in 2023, 4.7% less than in 2022. Bahía de Algeciras ranks first on this measure, with 56.6 million tonnes.
Bahía de Algeciras ranks first among port authorities with 70.3 million tonnes in 2023 (1.1% less than in 2022). It is followed by Valencia (69 million) and Barcelona (44.7 million). Together, the three account for 70.1% of the total.
The largest increases were recorded by Santa Cruz de Tenerife (+9.7%), Santander (+6.6%) and Baleares (+5.1%); the steepest falls by Barcelona (−8.7%), Bilbao (−3.7%) and Valencia (−2.6%). The comparison is limited to port authorities that account for at least 1% of the total, so that an extreme swing at a small player does not distort the picture.
The rest of the top ten are Las Palmas (4th, 18.3 million, +3.9%), Baleares (5th, 14.2 million, +5.1%), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (6th, 8.29 million, +9.7%), Bilbao (7th, 8.24 million, −3.7%), Vigo (8th, 4.3 million, +2.0%), Santander (9th, 2.94 million, +6.6%) and Pasaia (10th, 2.38 million, +0.9%).
At the bottom of the table are Motril (544,575 tonnes), Ceuta (536,192 tonnes) and Melilla (452,098 tonnes), out of a total of 28 port authorities with data.
The distribution is highly concentrated: the top five account for 82.4% of the total and 5 port authorities are enough to reach 80%, while the other 18 port authorities further down share the remaining 7.6%. 12 of the 28 port authorities with a comparison grew compared with 2022, 4 of them by double digits, and 16 fell.
Of the 12 months of 2023 with data, 3 are above the same month of 2022 and 9 below; over the last three months (October, November, December) the figure is up 3.7% on the same months of 2022; the largest year-on-year difference was in November (up 11.8%); the highest point in the series was May, at 24.1 M, and the lowest February, at 19.8 M.
Between 2012 and 2023 the figure went from 219.1 M to 262.7 M, an increase of 19.9% over 11 years (+1.7% a year on average). The best year was 2021 (276.2 M) and the worst 2013 (213.4 M).
Top 10 · Ranking of port authorities · 2023
Month by month · 2023 vs 2022
Annual series, 2012–2023
Full table · 28 port authorities · 2023
| # | Port authorities | 2023 | Change on 2022 | 2022 | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahía de Algeciras | 70.3 M | −1.1% | 71 M | 26.7% | Port |
| 2 | Valencia | 69 M | −2.6% | 70.9 M | 26.3% | Port |
| 3 | Barcelona | 44.7 M | −8.7% | 49 M | 17.0% | Port |
| 4 | Las Palmas | 18.3 M | +3.9% | 17.6 M | 7.0% | Port |
| 5 | Baleares | 14.2 M | +5.1% | 13.5 M | 5.4% | Port |
| 6 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 8.29 M | +9.7% | 7.55 M | 3.2% | Port |
| 7 | Bilbao | 8.24 M | −3.7% | 8.56 M | 3.1% | Port |
| 8 | Vigo | 4.3 M | +2.0% | 4.22 M | 1.6% | Port |
| 9 | Santander | 2.94 M | +6.6% | 2.76 M | 1.1% | Port |
| 10 | Pasaia | 2.38 M | +0.9% | 2.36 M | 0.9% | Port |
| 11 | Bahía de Cádiz | 2.14 M | −3.1% | 2.21 M | 0.8% | Port |
| 12 | Tarragona | 1.74 M | −27.2% | 2.4 M | 0.7% | Port |
| 13 | Gijón | 1.55 M | +20.6% | 1.28 M | 0.6% | Port |
| 14 | Sevilla | 1.52 M | −3.4% | 1.58 M | 0.6% | Port |
| 15 | Huelva | 1.49 M | +15.1% | 1.3 M | 0.6% | Port |
| 16 | Alicante | 1.3 M | −14.5% | 1.52 M | 0.5% | Port |
| 17 | Almería | 1.26 M | −15.3% | 1.48 M | 0.5% | Port |
| 18 | Avilés | 1.12 M | +12.3% | 996,945 | 0.4% | Port |
| 19 | Castellón | 1.08 M | −27.2% | 1.49 M | 0.4% | Port |
| 20 | Marín y Ría de Pontevedra | 1.06 M | +2.2% | 1.04 M | 0.4% | Port |
| 21 | Ferrol-San Cibrao | 994,466 | +1.7% | 977,912 | 0.4% | Port |
| 22 | Cartagena | 986,600 | −1.8% | 1.0 M | 0.4% | Port |
| 23 | Málaga | 968,201 | −66.1% | 2.85 M | 0.4% | Port |
| 24 | Vilagarcía | 674,707 | −14.5% | 789,543 | 0.3% | Port |
| 25 | A Coruña | 622,167 | −30.6% | 896,732 | 0.2% | Port |
| 26 | Motril | 544,575 | +274.9% | 145,266 | 0.2% | Port |
| 27 | Ceuta | 536,192 | −5.8% | 569,120 | 0.2% | Port |
| 28 | Melilla | 452,098 | −5.9% | 480,554 | 0.2% | Port |
What this indicator measures
General cargo is everything shipped packed or in units: containers, ro-ro, vehicles, steel products, paper, timber and project cargo. It is the highest-value cargo and the most closely tied to foreign trade in manufactured goods, which makes it the port system’s best gauge of the real economy. Puertos del Estado splits it into containerised and conventional cargo.
Frequently asked questions
Which was Spain’s first port by general cargo traffic in 2023?
Bahía de Algeciras, with 70.3 million tonnes in 2023, 26.7% of the total.
What was the general cargo traffic figure for Spanish ports in 2023?
262.7 million tonnes in 2023, 2.9% less than in 2022.
Was 2023 a record year?
No: the high point of the 2012–2025 series is 2025, with 278.8 million tonnes; 2023 was 5.8% below it.
Source
Puertos del Estado. To explore the data in detail, use PortStats · general cargo by type, annual series or see the original source.