Year to date · January–August 2026
130.7 million tonnes
August 2026 only
17.4 million tonnes
First port
15 million tonnes
Of which, general cargo imports
28.7 million tonnes
What the data say · August 2026
Spanish ports handled 130.7 million tonnes of import cargo in the year to August 2026, 2.3% more than in the same period of 2025. In August alone, the figure was 17.4 million tonnes, 12% more than in August 2025.
In August, 20 of the 27 port authorities with data improved on their August 2025 figure.
Of which, general cargo imports: 28.7 million tonnes in the year to August 2026, 5.9% more than a year earlier. Valencia ranks first on this measure, with 9.07 million tonnes.
Cartagena ranks first among port authorities with 15 million tonnes in the year to August 2026 (4.8% less than a year earlier). It is followed by Bilbao (15 million) and Tarragona (14.4 million). Together, the three account for 34% of the total.
The largest increases were recorded by Las Palmas (+29.8%), Avilés (+19.0%) and Valencia (+8.9%); the steepest falls by Gijón (−30.6%), Cartagena (−4.8%) and Barcelona (−2.8%). 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 Bahía de Algeciras (4th, 12.3 million, +5.9%), Valencia (5th, 12.1 million, +8.9%), Barcelona (6th, 11.7 million, −2.8%), Huelva (7th, 10.4 million, +2.6%), Castellón (8th, 9.39 million, +8.2%), A Coruña (9th, 5.97 million, +2.6%) and Gijón (10th, 5.23 million, −30.6%).
At the bottom of the table are Ceuta (500,876 tonnes), Alicante (444,475 tonnes) and Baleares (190,102 tonnes), out of a total of 28 port authorities with data.
The distribution is concentrated: the top five account for 52.7% of the total and 9 port authorities are enough to reach 80%, while the other 18 port authorities further down share the remaining 14.6%. 20 of the 28 port authorities with a comparison grew year on year, 6 of them by double digits, and 8 fell.
Top 10 · Ranking of port authorities · year to date 2026
What this indicator measures
Since 2024 Puertos del Estado has published import cargo for each port authority: the tonnes arriving from abroad and unloaded at a Spanish port, by type of cargo (liquid bulk, dry bulk and general cargo). It excludes coastal traffic between Spanish ports and transhipment, which arrives on one ship and leaves on another without entering the country.
Full table · 28 port authorities
| # | Port authorities | Jan–Aug 2026 | YoY change | August | Monthly change | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cartagena | 15 M | −4.8% | 1.92 M | −11.3% | 11.5% | Port |
| 2 | Bilbao | 15 M | +7.9% | 1.81 M | −2.6% | 11.5% | Port |
| 3 | Tarragona | 14.4 M | +5.7% | 1.87 M | +4.7% | 11.0% | Port |
| 4 | Bahía de Algeciras | 12.3 M | +5.9% | 1.51 M | +2.0% | 9.4% | Port |
| 5 | Valencia | 12.1 M | +8.9% | 1.39 M | +7.7% | 9.3% | Port |
| 6 | Barcelona | 11.7 M | −2.8% | 1.36 M | −11.0% | 9.0% | Port |
| 7 | Huelva | 10.4 M | +2.6% | 1.76 M | +61.0% | 8.0% | Port |
| 8 | Castellón | 9.39 M | +8.2% | 1.18 M | +26.6% | 7.2% | Port |
| 9 | A Coruña | 5.97 M | +2.6% | 880,065 | +15.0% | 4.6% | Port |
| 10 | Gijón | 5.23 M | −30.6% | 905,668 | +46.0% | 4.0% | Port |
| 11 | Ferrol-San Cibrao | 3.35 M | +8.8% | 396,128 | −5.5% | 2.6% | Port |
| 12 | Santander | 2.09 M | +7.5% | 358,639 | +43.9% | 1.6% | Port |
| 13 | Las Palmas | 1.56 M | +29.8% | 396,761 | +213.0% | 1.2% | Port |
| 14 | Avilés | 1.51 M | +19.0% | 117,528 | −9.1% | 1.2% | Port |
| 15 | Pasaia | 1.49 M | +0.4% | 159,970 | −7.6% | 1.1% | Port |
| 16 | Sevilla | 1.36 M | +2.1% | 252,344 | +47.8% | 1.0% | Port |
| 17 | Vigo | 1.3 M | +6.4% | 168,391 | +29.3% | 1.0% | Port |
| 18 | Bahía de Cádiz | 1.1 M | +65.0% | 204,183 | +63.9% | 0.8% | Port |
| 19 | Marín y Ría de Pontevedra | 1.01 M | +5.8% | 179,354 | +161.1% | 0.8% | Port |
| 20 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 839,807 | +13.8% | 89,134 | +24.8% | 0.6% | Port |
| 21 | Málaga | 683,241 | +11.4% | 103,749 | −3.4% | 0.5% | Port |
| 22 | Almería | 614,963 | −5.3% | 91,506 | +44.0% | 0.5% | Port |
| 23 | Motril | 571,348 | −34.1% | 56,051 | +34.3% | 0.4% | Port |
| 24 | Vilagarcía | 520,318 | −2.7% | 59,396 | 0.0% | 0.4% | Port |
| 25 | Ceuta | 500,876 | +103.4% | 72,929 | +141.5% | 0.4% | Port |
| 26 | Alicante | 444,475 | +5.4% | 92,907 | +120.8% | 0.3% | Port |
| 27 | Baleares | 190,102 | −12.9% | 26,761 | +53.3% | 0.1% | Port |
| 28 | Melilla | 0 | −100.0% | 0 | — | 0.0% | Port |
Context
Spain imports mainly energy (crude oil and liquefied natural gas), industrial raw materials, cereals and animal feed by sea, so ports with refineries, regasification plants and chemical or agri-food clusters rank high. General cargo imports, in containers or ro-ro, are concentrated in the ports with the largest industrial and consumer hinterland.
Frequently asked questions
Which Spanish port receives the most imports?
Cartagena, with 15 million tonnes in the year to August 2026, 11.5% of the total.
How many tonnes have Spanish ports imported this year?
130.7 million tonnes in the year to August 2026, 2.3% more than in the same period of 2025.
When is this data updated?
Puertos del Estado publishes the data every month. Latest data available: August 2026.
Source
Puertos del Estado. To explore the data in detail, use PortStats · imports and exports, annual series or see the original source.