Traffic with Belgium · 2025
10.5 million tonnes
Unloaded from Belgium
5.34 million tonnes
Loaded for Belgium
5.12 million tonnes
Rank among countries of origin and destination
13th
What the data say · 2025
Spanish ports handled 10.5 million tonnes of cargo with Belgium in 2025, 12.2% more than in 2024. By volume it ranks 13th among the 211 countries and territories with traffic, with 2.4% of the tonnes exchanged with other countries.
Of that total, 5.34 million tonnes were unloaded from that country (14.3% more than in 2024) and 5.12 million tonnes were loaded for it (10.1% more than in 2024). Unloading accounts for 51.1% of the traffic and loading for 48.9%.
In 2025, 26 port authorities recorded traffic with Belgium.
2025 is the year with the most traffic in the whole series, which starts in 1962.
Bahía de Algeciras ranks first among port authorities with 1.97 million tonnes in 2025 (159% more than in 2024). It is followed by Bilbao (1.67 million) and Santander (1.36 million). Together, the three account for 47.8% of the total.
The largest increases were recorded by Santa Cruz de Tenerife (+212.4%), Castellón (+188.7%) and Bahía de Algeciras (+159.0%); the steepest falls by Vigo (−54.8%), Ferrol-San Cibrao (−30.8%) and A Coruña (−28.3%). 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 Valencia (4th, 674,393 tonnes, −19.7%), Huelva (5th, 556,803 tonnes, −19.5%), Barcelona (6th, 543,994 tonnes, +17.6%), Las Palmas (7th, 425,120 tonnes, +102.3%), Pasaia (8th, 394,719 tonnes, −3.7%), Cartagena (9th, 367,968 tonnes, +28.4%) and Gijón (10th, 334,266 tonnes, +40.9%).
At the bottom of the table are Vilagarcía (31,466 tonnes), Málaga (29,133 tonnes) and Alicante (1,505 tonnes), out of a total of 26 port authorities with data.
The distribution is concentrated: the top five account for 59.6% of the total and 11 port authorities are enough to reach 80%, while the other 16 port authorities further down share the remaining 20.7%. 15 of the 25 port authorities with a comparison grew compared with 2024, 14 of them by double digits, and 10 fell.
Between 2006 and 2025 the figure went from 4.22 M to 10.5 M, an increase of 148% over 19 years (+4.9% a year on average); the last year is the high point of the series and the low was 2006 (4.22 M).
Top 10 · Traffic with Belgium by port authority · 2025
Traffic with Belgium, year by year
Full table · 26 port authorities
| # | Port authorities | Total 2025 | Change on 2024 | Unloaded | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahía de Algeciras | 1.97 M | +159.0% | 1.08 M | 18.9% | Port |
| 2 | Bilbao | 1.67 M | −11.4% | 613,736 | 16.0% | Port |
| 3 | Santander | 1.36 M | −1.1% | 733,129 | 13.0% | Port |
| 4 | Valencia | 674,393 | −19.7% | 491,668 | 6.4% | Port |
| 5 | Huelva | 556,803 | −19.5% | 142,997 | 5.3% | Port |
| 6 | Barcelona | 543,994 | +17.6% | 493,023 | 5.2% | Port |
| 7 | Las Palmas | 425,120 | +102.3% | 359,100 | 4.1% | Port |
| 8 | Pasaia | 394,719 | −3.7% | 205,252 | 3.8% | Port |
| 9 | Cartagena | 367,968 | +28.4% | 77,040 | 3.5% | Port |
| 10 | Gijón | 334,266 | +40.9% | 33,304 | 3.2% | Port |
| 11 | A Coruña | 324,379 | −28.3% | 84,976 | 3.1% | Port |
| 12 | Tarragona | 310,116 | −5.6% | 171,628 | 3.0% | Port |
| 13 | Sevilla | 279,822 | +61.4% | 148,513 | 2.7% | Port |
| 14 | Vigo | 212,581 | −54.8% | 85,973 | 2.0% | Port |
| 15 | Castellón | 197,883 | +188.7% | 145,937 | 1.9% | Port |
| 16 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 158,752 | +212.4% | 145,811 | 1.5% | Port |
| 17 | Ferrol-San Cibrao | 143,746 | −30.8% | 67,939 | 1.4% | Port |
| 18 | Avilés | 132,093 | −25.5% | 18,151 | 1.3% | Port |
| 19 | Almería | 81,743 | +4.0% | 12 | 0.8% | Port |
| 20 | Motril | 67,894 | +229.8% | 12,466 | 0.6% | Port |
| 21 | Bahía de Cádiz | 65,853 | +235.0% | 63,533 | 0.6% | Port |
| 22 | Ceuta | 63,762 | +86.3% | 63,762 | 0.6% | Port |
| 23 | Marín y Ría de Pontevedra | 60,769 | +49.8% | 55,038 | 0.6% | Port |
| 24 | Vilagarcía | 31,466 | +109.0% | 23,301 | 0.3% | Port |
| 25 | Málaga | 29,133 | +12.3% | 24,364 | 0.3% | Port |
| 26 | Alicante | 1,505 | — | 1,505 | 0.0% | Port |
What this indicator measures
Every year, in its statistical yearbook, Puertos del Estado publishes the tonnes loaded at Spanish ports for each country and the tonnes unloaded from it, authority by authority. This page covers Belgium. These are tonnes of cargo crossing the quay, including transhipped containers, not the value in euros of what Spain buys and sells, so they do not match customs figures, which are in the Foreign Trade section.
Context
Antwerp and Zeebrugge connect with Spanish ports through short-sea containers, ro-ro services and car carriers, and chemical products. Traffic is balanced between loading and unloading.
Frequently asked questions
How many tonnes do Spanish ports handle with Belgium?
10.5 million tonnes in 2025, 12.2% more than in 2024.
Which Spanish port handles the most cargo with Belgium?
Bahía de Algeciras, with 1.97 million tonnes in 2025, 18.9% of the total.
Which weighs more: cargo unloaded or cargo loaded?
Cargo unloaded: 5.34 million tonnes in 2025, 51.1% of the total, compared with 5.12 million tonnes loaded.
When is this data updated?
Puertos del Estado publishes one edition a year. Latest data available: 2025.
Source
Puertos del Estado. To explore the data in detail, use PortStats · cargo by country, annual series or see the original source.