Traffic with France · 2025
11.8 million tonnes
Unloaded from France
6.3 million tonnes
Loaded for France
5.48 million tonnes
Rank among countries of origin and destination
9th
What the data say · 2025
Spanish ports handled 11.8 million tonnes of cargo with France in 2025, 8.3% less than in 2024. By volume it ranks 9th among the 211 countries and territories with traffic, with 2.7% of the tonnes exchanged with other countries.
Of that total, 6.3 million tonnes were unloaded from that country (1.3% less than in 2024) and 5.48 million tonnes were loaded for it (15.3% less than in 2024). Unloading accounts for 53.5% of the traffic and loading for 46.5%.
In 2025, 27 port authorities recorded traffic with France.
The high point of the series, which starts in 1962, is 2023, with 13.1 million tonnes: 2025 was 9.7% below it.
Bahía de Algeciras ranks first among port authorities with 2.27 million tonnes in 2025 (41.9% more than in 2024). It is followed by Barcelona (1.49 million) and Valencia (1.4 million). Together, the three account for 43.7% of the total.
The largest increases were recorded by Avilés (+48.9%), Bahía de Algeciras (+41.9%) and Las Palmas (+22.0%); the steepest falls by Bilbao (−39.5%), Barcelona (−39.2%) and A Coruña (−35.3%). 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 Las Palmas (4th, 912,994 tonnes, +22.0%), Cartagena (5th, 815,129 tonnes, −6.7%), A Coruña (6th, 738,685 tonnes, −35.3%), Tarragona (7th, 679,534 tonnes, −6.1%), Bilbao (8th, 649,145 tonnes, −39.5%), Gijón (9th, 417,360 tonnes, −13.2%) and Vigo (10th, 389,215 tonnes, +3.1%).
At the bottom of the table are Bahía de Cádiz (20,730 tonnes), Alicante (17,724 tonnes) and Baleares (1,201 tonnes), out of a total of 27 port authorities with data.
The distribution is concentrated: the top five account for 58.4% of the total and 10 port authorities are enough to reach 80%, while the other 17 port authorities further down share the remaining 17.3%. 12 of the 27 port authorities with a comparison grew compared with 2024, 10 of them by double digits, and 15 fell.
Between 2006 and 2025 the figure went from 9.61 M to 11.8 M, an increase of 22.6% over 19 years (+1.1% a year on average). The best year was 2023 (13.1 M) and the worst 2009 (8.21 M).
Top 10 · Traffic with France by port authority · 2025
Traffic with France, year by year
Full table · 27 port authorities
| # | Port authorities | Total 2025 | Change on 2024 | Unloaded | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahía de Algeciras | 2.27 M | +41.9% | 1.39 M | 19.2% | Port |
| 2 | Barcelona | 1.49 M | −39.2% | 626,431 | 12.6% | Port |
| 3 | Valencia | 1.4 M | +10.0% | 945,128 | 11.9% | Port |
| 4 | Las Palmas | 912,994 | +22.0% | 838,219 | 7.7% | Port |
| 5 | Cartagena | 815,129 | −6.7% | 213,892 | 6.9% | Port |
| 6 | A Coruña | 738,685 | −35.3% | 362,171 | 6.3% | Port |
| 7 | Tarragona | 679,534 | −6.1% | 477,664 | 5.8% | Port |
| 8 | Bilbao | 649,145 | −39.5% | 161,380 | 5.5% | Port |
| 9 | Gijón | 417,360 | −13.2% | 12,796 | 3.5% | Port |
| 10 | Vigo | 389,215 | +3.1% | 146,063 | 3.3% | Port |
| 11 | Huelva | 357,733 | −33.2% | 80,785 | 3.0% | Port |
| 12 | Sevilla | 261,154 | −5.9% | 239,993 | 2.2% | Port |
| 13 | Avilés | 238,354 | +48.9% | 15,095 | 2.0% | Port |
| 14 | Castellón | 191,347 | −5.4% | 96,012 | 1.6% | Port |
| 15 | Santander | 165,831 | +18.7% | 123,645 | 1.4% | Port |
| 16 | Ferrol-San Cibrao | 162,711 | −0.3% | 51,523 | 1.4% | Port |
| 17 | Ceuta | 124,306 | +8.1% | 124,306 | 1.1% | Port |
| 18 | Marín y Ría de Pontevedra | 115,703 | +417.5% | 97,094 | 1.0% | Port |
| 19 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 112,473 | +29.3% | 108,656 | 1.0% | Port |
| 20 | Pasaia | 76,577 | −29.3% | 76,577 | 0.6% | Port |
| 21 | Málaga | 60,293 | +236.7% | 58,027 | 0.5% | Port |
| 22 | Almería | 53,655 | −55.0% | 10,830 | 0.5% | Port |
| 23 | Vilagarcía | 46,338 | −49.0% | 13,936 | 0.4% | Port |
| 24 | Motril | 26,912 | −58.0% | 22,472 | 0.2% | Port |
| 25 | Bahía de Cádiz | 20,730 | +45.2% | 12,651 | 0.2% | Port |
| 26 | Alicante | 17,724 | +365.6% | 0 | 0.2% | Port |
| 27 | Baleares | 1,201 | −49.0% | 646 | 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 France. 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
Although almost all trade with France crosses the Pyrenees by road, the sea carries bulk cargo, petroleum and chemical products, short-sea containers and ro-ro services, on both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic coasts.
Frequently asked questions
How many tonnes do Spanish ports handle with France?
11.8 million tonnes in 2025, 8.3% less than in 2024.
Which Spanish port handles the most cargo with France?
Bahía de Algeciras, with 2.27 million tonnes in 2025, 19.2% of the total.
Which weighs more: cargo unloaded or cargo loaded?
Cargo unloaded: 6.3 million tonnes in 2025, 53.5% of the total, compared with 5.48 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.