Traffic with Italy · 2025
25.5 million tonnes
Unloaded from Italy
14.4 million tonnes
Loaded for Italy
11.1 million tonnes
Rank among countries of origin and destination
5th
What the data say · 2025
Spanish ports handled 25.5 million tonnes of cargo with Italy in 2025, 5.4% less than in 2024. By volume it ranks 5th among the 211 countries and territories with traffic, with 5.9% of the tonnes exchanged with other countries.
Of that total, 14.4 million tonnes were unloaded from that country (3.5% more than in 2024) and 11.1 million tonnes were loaded for it (14.7% less than in 2024). Unloading accounts for 56.4% of the traffic and loading for 43.6%.
In 2025, 27 port authorities recorded traffic with Italy.
The high point of the series, which starts in 1962, is 2021, with 27.8 million tonnes: 2025 was 8.4% below it.
Barcelona ranks first among port authorities with 7.93 million tonnes in 2025 (4% more than in 2024). It is followed by Valencia (6.63 million) and Bahía de Algeciras (3.51 million). Together, the three account for 70.9% of the total.
The largest increases were recorded by Ferrol-San Cibrao (+235.3%), Bahía de Cádiz (+43.8%) and Avilés (+27.8%); the steepest falls by Cartagena (−48.4%), Motril (−33.2%) and Huelva (−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 Tarragona (4th, 1.53 million, −1.2%), Cartagena (5th, 1.02 million, −48.4%), Castellón (6th, 715,264 tonnes, −8.5%), Las Palmas (7th, 666,156 tonnes, +1.1%), Avilés (8th, 631,297 tonnes, +27.8%), Motril (9th, 480,188 tonnes, −33.2%) and Huelva (10th, 443,790 tonnes, −28.3%).
At the bottom of the table are A Coruña (25,834 tonnes), Marín y Ría de Pontevedra (20,707 tonnes) and Vilagarcía (11,023 tonnes), out of a total of 27 port authorities with data.
The distribution is highly concentrated: the top five account for 80.9% of the total and 5 port authorities are enough to reach 80%, while the other 17 port authorities further down share the remaining 7.6%. 12 of the 27 port authorities with a comparison grew compared with 2024, 9 of them by double digits, and 15 fell.
Between 2006 and 2025 the figure went from 18.2 M to 25.5 M, an increase of 40.1% over 19 years (+1.8% a year on average). The best year was 2021 (27.8 M) and the worst 2009 (17 M).
Top 10 · Traffic with Italy by port authority · 2025
Traffic with Italy, year by year
Full table · 27 port authorities
| # | Port authorities | Total 2025 | Change on 2024 | Unloaded | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 7.93 M | +4.0% | 4.71 M | 31.1% | Port |
| 2 | Valencia | 6.63 M | −4.9% | 3.52 M | 26.0% | Port |
| 3 | Bahía de Algeciras | 3.51 M | −8.8% | 2.23 M | 13.8% | Port |
| 4 | Tarragona | 1.53 M | −1.2% | 1.07 M | 6.0% | Port |
| 5 | Cartagena | 1.02 M | −48.4% | 373,627 | 4.0% | Port |
| 6 | Castellón | 715,264 | −8.5% | 500,891 | 2.8% | Port |
| 7 | Las Palmas | 666,156 | +1.1% | 272,641 | 2.6% | Port |
| 8 | Avilés | 631,297 | +27.8% | 108,725 | 2.5% | Port |
| 9 | Motril | 480,188 | −33.2% | 473,369 | 1.9% | Port |
| 10 | Huelva | 443,790 | −28.3% | 121,279 | 1.7% | Port |
| 11 | Ferrol-San Cibrao | 365,572 | +235.3% | 176,103 | 1.4% | Port |
| 12 | Bahía de Cádiz | 347,546 | +43.8% | 111,578 | 1.4% | Port |
| 13 | Málaga | 232,476 | +75.8% | 166,958 | 0.9% | Port |
| 14 | Bilbao | 197,416 | −23.5% | 126,765 | 0.8% | Port |
| 15 | Baleares | 163,657 | −51.6% | 163,544 | 0.6% | Port |
| 16 | Vigo | 127,384 | +8.9% | 4,236 | 0.5% | Port |
| 17 | Sevilla | 101,872 | −28.0% | 84,195 | 0.4% | Port |
| 18 | Ceuta | 68,628 | +276.9% | 68,628 | 0.3% | Port |
| 19 | Santander | 62,635 | +303.0% | 0 | 0.2% | Port |
| 20 | Pasaia | 56,709 | +118.7% | 43,632 | 0.2% | Port |
| 21 | Gijón | 49,493 | −46.3% | 0 | 0.2% | Port |
| 22 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 36,465 | +57.7% | 26,426 | 0.1% | Port |
| 23 | Alicante | 33,347 | −51.9% | 10,164 | 0.1% | Port |
| 24 | Almería | 32,199 | −39.0% | 4,999 | 0.1% | Port |
| 25 | A Coruña | 25,834 | +289.8% | 0 | 0.1% | Port |
| 26 | Marín y Ría de Pontevedra | 20,707 | −19.1% | 0 | 0.1% | Port |
| 27 | Vilagarcía | 11,023 | −32.8% | 11,023 | 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 Italy. 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
Italy is the main partner for motorways of the sea: regular ro-ro services link Barcelona, Valencia and Sagunto with Italian ports and take lorries off the road. Short-sea containers and chemical and petroleum products add to that rolling traffic.
Frequently asked questions
How many tonnes do Spanish ports handle with Italy?
25.5 million tonnes in 2025, 5.4% less than in 2024.
Which Spanish port handles the most cargo with Italy?
Barcelona, with 7.93 million tonnes in 2025, 31.1% of the total.
Which weighs more: cargo unloaded or cargo loaded?
Cargo unloaded: 14.4 million tonnes in 2025, 56.4% of the total, compared with 11.1 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.