2018 total
563.6 million tonnes
First port · 2018
107.4 million tonnes
Series high, 2012–2025
564.5 million tonnes
Month with the highest figure
48.9 million tonnes
The 2018 balance
Spanish ports handled 563.6 million tonnes of total traffic in 2018, 3.4% more than in 2017 (18.3 million more). These are the final figures from Puertos del Estado’s statistical yearbook for the 28 port authorities.
The high point of the 2012–2025 series is 2019, with 564.5 million tonnes: 2018 was 0.2% below it and ranks 2nd of the 14 years with data. At the end of 2018 it was the highest figure in the series, which starts in 2012; it was later exceeded in 2019.
By port, Bahía de Algeciras ranked first, with 107.4 million tonnes, 19.1% of the total, followed by Valencia (76.6 million) and Barcelona (67.8 million). The full order of the 28 port authorities is in the table.
18 of the 28 port authorities with data ended 2018 above their 2017 figure.
Of the 12 months of 2018 with data, 9 are above the same month of 2017 and 3 below; over the last three months (October, November, December) the figure is up 3% on the same months of 2017; the largest year-on-year difference was in January (up 13.3%); the highest point in the series was May, at 48.9 M, and the lowest February, at 41.7 M.
Between 2012 and 2018 the figure went from 475.2 M to 563.6 M, an increase of 18.6% over 6 years (+2.9% a year on average); the last year is the high point of the series and the low was 2013 (459 M).
Top 10 · Ranking of port authorities · 2018
Month by month · 2018 vs 2017
Annual series, 2012–2018
Full table · 28 port authorities · 2018
| # | Port authorities | 2018 | Change on 2017 | 2017 | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahía de Algeciras | 107.4 M | +5.7% | 101.6 M | 19.1% | Port |
| 2 | Valencia | 76.6 M | +4.2% | 73.6 M | 13.6% | Port |
| 3 | Barcelona | 67.8 M | +10.4% | 61.4 M | 12.0% | Port |
| 4 | Bilbao | 35.7 M | +4.0% | 34.3 M | 6.3% | Port |
| 5 | Cartagena | 33.9 M | −2.2% | 34.7 M | 6.0% | Port |
| 6 | Huelva | 33 M | +2.0% | 32.3 M | 5.8% | Port |
| 7 | Tarragona | 32.1 M | −4.8% | 33.7 M | 5.7% | Port |
| 8 | Las Palmas | 27 M | −0.2% | 27 M | 4.8% | Port |
| 9 | Castellón | 21.1 M | +18.0% | 17.9 M | 3.8% | Port |
| 10 | Gijón | 19.7 M | −9.7% | 21.8 M | 3.5% | Port |
| 11 | Baleares | 16.5 M | +5.1% | 15.6 M | 2.9% | Port |
| 12 | A Coruña | 15.7 M | +3.3% | 15.2 M | 2.8% | Port |
| 13 | Ferrol-San Cibrao | 13.7 M | +0.9% | 13.6 M | 2.4% | Port |
| 14 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 13.1 M | −4.6% | 13.7 M | 2.3% | Port |
| 15 | Almería | 7.06 M | +10.6% | 6.38 M | 1.3% | Port |
| 16 | Santander | 5.98 M | +6.4% | 5.62 M | 1.1% | Port |
| 17 | Avilés | 5.02 M | +4.5% | 4.81 M | 0.9% | Port |
| 18 | Sevilla | 4.44 M | −2.7% | 4.56 M | 0.8% | Port |
| 19 | Vigo | 4.36 M | +3.0% | 4.23 M | 0.8% | Port |
| 20 | Bahía de Cádiz | 3.96 M | −3.9% | 4.12 M | 0.7% | Port |
| 21 | Málaga | 3.32 M | +13.6% | 2.92 M | 0.6% | Port |
| 22 | Alicante | 3.19 M | −7.4% | 3.45 M | 0.6% | Port |
| 23 | Pasaia | 3.14 M | +5.5% | 2.97 M | 0.6% | Port |
| 24 | Motril | 2.85 M | +20.8% | 2.36 M | 0.5% | Port |
| 25 | Marín y Ría de Pontevedra | 2.54 M | +0.7% | 2.52 M | 0.5% | Port |
| 26 | Ceuta | 2.45 M | −3.8% | 2.55 M | 0.4% | Port |
| 27 | Vilagarcía | 1.21 M | +0.4% | 1.21 M | 0.2% | Port |
| 28 | Melilla | 873,529 | −24.2% | 1.15 M | 0.2% | Port |
What this indicator measures
Total traffic is the sum of all tonnes entering, leaving or passing through the 46 ports of general interest, grouped into 28 port authorities. It includes liquid bulk (crude oil, gas, petroleum products), dry bulk (coal, cereals, minerals), general cargo (containers and ro-ro), bunkering and supplies, fresh fish and internal traffic. It is the broadest measure of port activity and the one Puertos del Estado uses for its official results.
Frequently asked questions
Which was Spain’s first port by total traffic in 2018?
Bahía de Algeciras, with 107.4 million tonnes in 2018, 19.1% of the total.
What was the total traffic figure for Spanish ports in 2018?
563.6 million tonnes in 2018, 3.4% more than in 2017.
Was 2018 a record year?
At the time, yes: at the end of 2018, 563.6 million tonnes was the highest annual figure in the series, which starts in 2012. It was later exceeded in 2019; the high point of the 2012–2025 series is 2019, with 564.5 million tonnes.
Source
Puertos del Estado. To explore the data in detail, use PortStats · overview or see the original source.