Traffic with the United States · 2025
42.6 million tonnes
Unloaded from the United States
33.6 million tonnes
Loaded for the United States
9.02 million tonnes
Rank among countries of origin and destination
1st
What the data say · 2025
Spanish ports handled 42.6 million tonnes of cargo with the United States in 2025, 4.3% more than in 2024. By volume it ranks 1st among the 211 countries and territories with traffic, with 9.8% of the tonnes exchanged with other countries.
Of that total, 33.6 million tonnes were unloaded from that country (15.3% more than in 2024) and 9.02 million tonnes were loaded for it (23% less than in 2024). Unloading accounts for 78.8% of the traffic and loading for 21.2%.
In 2025, 26 port authorities recorded traffic with the United States.
2025 is the year with the most traffic in the whole series, which starts in 1962.
Valencia ranks first among port authorities with 5.73 million tonnes in 2025 (2.8% more than in 2024). It is followed by Huelva (5.43 million) and Tarragona (4.99 million). Together, the three account for 37.9% of the total.
The largest increases were recorded by Las Palmas (+235.1%), Málaga (+127.7%) and Ferrol-San Cibrao (+95.9%); the steepest falls by Bahía de Algeciras (−55.8%), Tarragona (−14.3%) and Gijón (−11.8%). 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 Cartagena (4th, 4.79 million, +62.1%), Bilbao (5th, 4.69 million, +39.8%), Barcelona (6th, 4.48 million, +16.4%), A Coruña (7th, 2.82 million, +32.3%), Bahía de Algeciras (8th, 2.81 million, −55.8%), Gijón (9th, 1.94 million, −11.8%) and Ferrol-San Cibrao (10th, 1.13 million, +95.9%).
At the bottom of the table are Baleares (8,426 tonnes), Ceuta (970 tonnes) and Sevilla (884 tonnes), out of a total of 26 port authorities with data.
The distribution is concentrated: the top five account for 60.2% of the total and 8 port authorities are enough to reach 80%, while the other 16 port authorities further down share the remaining 8.9%. 15 of the 26 port authorities with a comparison grew compared with 2024, 13 of them by double digits, and 11 fell.
Between 2006 and 2025 the figure went from 17 M to 42.6 M, an increase of 150% over 19 years (+4.9% a year on average); the last year is the high point of the series and the low was 2009 (16.5 M).
Top 10 · Traffic with the United States by port authority · 2025
Traffic with the United States, year by year
Full table · 26 port authorities
| # | Port authorities | Total 2025 | Change on 2024 | Unloaded | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valencia | 5.73 M | +2.8% | 2.5 M | 13.5% | Port |
| 2 | Huelva | 5.43 M | +10.8% | 4.61 M | 12.7% | Port |
| 3 | Tarragona | 4.99 M | −14.3% | 4.88 M | 11.7% | Port |
| 4 | Cartagena | 4.79 M | +62.1% | 4.78 M | 11.2% | Port |
| 5 | Bilbao | 4.69 M | +39.8% | 4.23 M | 11.0% | Port |
| 6 | Barcelona | 4.48 M | +16.4% | 2.86 M | 10.5% | Port |
| 7 | A Coruña | 2.82 M | +32.3% | 2.67 M | 6.6% | Port |
| 8 | Bahía de Algeciras | 2.81 M | −55.8% | 1.72 M | 6.6% | Port |
| 9 | Gijón | 1.94 M | −11.8% | 1.86 M | 4.6% | Port |
| 10 | Ferrol-San Cibrao | 1.13 M | +95.9% | 1.08 M | 2.6% | Port |
| 11 | Las Palmas | 830,029 | +235.1% | 766,159 | 1.9% | Port |
| 12 | Málaga | 650,144 | +127.7% | 392,022 | 1.5% | Port |
| 13 | Almería | 475,375 | −5.3% | 2,610 | 1.1% | Port |
| 14 | Castellón | 331,243 | −55.8% | 280,372 | 0.8% | Port |
| 15 | Avilés | 327,267 | −21.5% | 277,716 | 0.8% | Port |
| 16 | Motril | 255,059 | +332.1% | 73,296 | 0.6% | Port |
| 17 | Santander | 181,615 | −8.7% | 79,801 | 0.4% | Port |
| 18 | Bahía de Cádiz | 165,478 | +10.7% | 165,320 | 0.4% | Port |
| 19 | Vigo | 163,298 | −5.7% | 31,322 | 0.4% | Port |
| 20 | Marín y Ría de Pontevedra | 158,166 | +34.2% | 148,286 | 0.4% | Port |
| 21 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 120,801 | +185.2% | 119,173 | 0.3% | Port |
| 22 | Pasaia | 100,660 | +2.1% | 45,195 | 0.2% | Port |
| 23 | Alicante | 17,985 | −53.1% | 16,747 | 0.0% | Port |
| 24 | Baleares | 8,426 | −27.3% | 2,748 | 0.0% | Port |
| 25 | Ceuta | 970 | +534.0% | 970 | 0.0% | Port |
| 26 | Sevilla | 884 | −57.5% | 0 | 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 the United States. 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
The United States supplies energy and agricultural bulk: liquefied natural gas, crude oil, soya and cereals are unloaded at ports with regasification plants, refineries and agri-food terminals. Loaded cargo is mainly containerised general cargo and refined petroleum products.
Frequently asked questions
How many tonnes do Spanish ports handle with the United States?
42.6 million tonnes in 2025, 4.3% more than in 2024.
Which Spanish port handles the most cargo with the United States?
Valencia, with 5.73 million tonnes in 2025, 13.5% of the total.
Which weighs more: cargo unloaded or cargo loaded?
Cargo unloaded: 33.6 million tonnes in 2025, 78.8% of the total, compared with 9.02 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.