First port · 2016
103.2 million tonnes
2016 total
509.5 million tonnes
Series high, 2012–2025
564.5 million tonnes
Month with the highest figure
45.8 million tonnes
The 2016 balance
Bahía de Algeciras ranks first among port authorities with 103.2 million tonnes in 2016 (5% more than in 2015). It is followed by Valencia (71.5 million) and Barcelona (48.7 million). Together, the three account for 43.8% of the total.
The largest increases were recorded by Huelva (+11.6%), Baleares (+10.4%) and Santa Cruz de Tenerife (+7.9%); the steepest falls by Almería (−15.4%), Gijón (−13.5%) and Tarragona (−5.1%). 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 Bilbao (4th, 32.1 million, −2.5%), Cartagena (5th, 31.9 million, −2.4%), Tarragona (6th, 31.4 million, −5.1%), Huelva (7th, 30.6 million, +11.6%), Las Palmas (8th, 22.8 million, −3.3%), Gijón (9th, 18.4 million, −13.5%) and Castellón (10th, 17.1 million, +3.7%).
At the bottom of the table are Motril (2.19 million), Melilla (1.16 million) and Vilagarcía (1.11 million), out of a total of 28 port authorities with data.
The distribution is concentrated: the top five account for 56.4% of the total and 11 port authorities are enough to reach 80%, while the other 18 port authorities further down share the remaining 20%. 16 of the 28 port authorities with a comparison grew compared with 2015, 7 of them by double digits, and 12 fell.
Spanish ports handled 509.5 million tonnes of total traffic in 2016, 1.4% more than in 2015 (7.07 million more). These are the final figures from Puertos del Estado’s statistical yearbook for the 28 port authorities.
In the 2016 ranking, the ports moving up on 2015 are Bilbao (from 5th to 4th) and Cartagena (from 6th to 5th); those moving down are Tarragona (from 4th to 6th). The top three positions are unchanged.
Top 10 · Ranking of port authorities · 2016
What this indicator measures
The ranking orders the 28 port authorities by tonnes accumulated over the year, which is the most stable comparison: a single month can swing because of one large call or a refinery shutdown. The share shows what part of the system each port represents, and the change compares with the same period of the previous year.
Full table · 28 port authorities · 2016
| # | Port authorities | 2016 | Change on 2015 | 2015 | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahía de Algeciras | 103.2 M | +5.0% | 98.2 M | 20.3% | Port |
| 2 | Valencia | 71.5 M | +2.0% | 70.1 M | 14.0% | Port |
| 3 | Barcelona | 48.7 M | +3.4% | 47 M | 9.5% | Port |
| 4 | Bilbao | 32.1 M | −2.5% | 32.9 M | 6.3% | Port |
| 5 | Cartagena | 31.9 M | −2.4% | 32.7 M | 6.3% | Port |
| 6 | Tarragona | 31.4 M | −5.1% | 33 M | 6.2% | Port |
| 7 | Huelva | 30.6 M | +11.6% | 27.4 M | 6.0% | Port |
| 8 | Las Palmas | 22.8 M | −3.3% | 23.6 M | 4.5% | Port |
| 9 | Gijón | 18.4 M | −13.5% | 21.3 M | 3.6% | Port |
| 10 | Castellón | 17.1 M | +3.7% | 16.5 M | 3.4% | Port |
| 11 | Baleares | 14.9 M | +10.4% | 13.5 M | 2.9% | Port |
| 12 | A Coruña | 13.9 M | −1.6% | 14.2 M | 2.7% | Port |
| 13 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 13.6 M | +7.9% | 12.6 M | 2.7% | Port |
| 14 | Ferrol-San Cibrao | 12.5 M | −2.0% | 12.8 M | 2.5% | Port |
| 15 | Almería | 5.47 M | −15.4% | 6.47 M | 1.1% | Port |
| 16 | Avilés | 4.97 M | −3.9% | 5.17 M | 1.0% | Port |
| 17 | Santander | 4.87 M | −13.7% | 5.64 M | 1.0% | Port |
| 18 | Sevilla | 4.82 M | +2.8% | 4.69 M | 0.9% | Port |
| 19 | Vigo | 4.12 M | −4.0% | 4.29 M | 0.8% | Port |
| 20 | Bahía de Cádiz | 3.66 M | +7.3% | 3.41 M | 0.7% | Port |
| 21 | Alicante | 3.47 M | +32.7% | 2.62 M | 0.7% | Port |
| 22 | Pasaia | 3.45 M | −8.9% | 3.79 M | 0.7% | Port |
| 23 | Málaga | 2.95 M | +26.5% | 2.34 M | 0.6% | Port |
| 24 | Ceuta | 2.48 M | +17.5% | 2.11 M | 0.5% | Port |
| 25 | Marín y Ría de Pontevedra | 2.35 M | +9.6% | 2.14 M | 0.5% | Port |
| 26 | Motril | 2.19 M | +10.3% | 1.99 M | 0.4% | Port |
| 27 | Melilla | 1.16 M | +12.7% | 1.03 M | 0.2% | Port |
| 28 | Vilagarcía | 1.11 M | +8.0% | 1.03 M | 0.2% | Port |
Frequently asked questions
Which was Spain’s first port by total traffic in 2016?
Bahía de Algeciras, with 103.2 million tonnes in 2016, 20.3% of the total.
Which three ports held the top positions in 2016?
Bahía de Algeciras (103.2 million), Valencia (71.5 million) and Barcelona (48.7 million) in 2016.
Which ports changed position compared with 2015?
In the 2016 ranking, the ports moving up on 2015 are Bilbao (from 5th to 4th) and Cartagena (from 6th to 5th); those moving down are Tarragona (from 4th to 6th). The top three positions are unchanged.
Source
Puertos del Estado. To explore the data in detail, use PortStats · monthly data or see the original source.