First port · 2021
105.1 million tonnes
2021 total
544.4 million tonnes
Series high, 2012–2025
564.5 million tonnes
Month with the highest figure
48.7 million tonnes
The 2021 balance
Bahía de Algeciras ranks first among port authorities with 105.1 million tonnes in 2021 (2.1% less than in 2020). It is followed by Valencia (85.3 million) and Barcelona (66.4 million). Together, the three account for 47.2% of the total.
The largest increases were recorded by Almería (+20.8%), Tarragona (+18.0%) and Santander (+15.4%); the steepest falls by Cartagena (−5.1%), Bahía de Algeciras (−2.1%) and Ferrol-San Cibrao (−0.7%). 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, 31.3 million, +5.6%), Tarragona (5th, 31.3 million, +18.0%), Cartagena (6th, 31.2 million, −5.1%), Huelva (7th, 30.7 million, +2.6%), Las Palmas (8th, 28.2 million, +9.5%), Castellón (9th, 21.2 million, +14.5%) and Gijón (10th, 16.7 million, +3.3%).
At the bottom of the table are Ceuta (1.57 million), Vilagarcía (1.51 million) and Melilla (601,613 tonnes), out of a total of 28 port authorities with data.
The distribution is concentrated: the top five account for 58.7% of the total and 10 port authorities are enough to reach 80%, while the other 18 port authorities further down share the remaining 17.8%. 21 of the 28 port authorities with a comparison grew compared with 2020, 13 of them by double digits, and 7 fell.
Spanish ports handled 544.4 million tonnes of total traffic in 2021, 5.6% more than in 2020 (28.8 million more). These are the final figures from Puertos del Estado’s statistical yearbook for the 28 port authorities.
In the 2021 ranking, the ports moving up on 2020 are Bilbao (from 6th to 4th) and Tarragona (from 7th to 5th); those moving down are Cartagena (from 4th to 6th) and Huelva (from 5th to 7th). The top three positions are unchanged.
Top 10 · Ranking of port authorities · 2021
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 · 2021
| # | Port authorities | 2021 | Change on 2020 | 2020 | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahía de Algeciras | 105.1 M | −2.1% | 107.3 M | 19.3% | Port |
| 2 | Valencia | 85.3 M | +5.4% | 80.9 M | 15.7% | Port |
| 3 | Barcelona | 66.4 M | +11.6% | 59.5 M | 12.2% | Port |
| 4 | Bilbao | 31.3 M | +5.6% | 29.6 M | 5.7% | Port |
| 5 | Tarragona | 31.3 M | +18.0% | 26.5 M | 5.7% | Port |
| 6 | Cartagena | 31.2 M | −5.1% | 32.9 M | 5.7% | Port |
| 7 | Huelva | 30.7 M | +2.6% | 29.9 M | 5.6% | Port |
| 8 | Las Palmas | 28.2 M | +9.5% | 25.8 M | 5.2% | Port |
| 9 | Castellón | 21.2 M | +14.5% | 18.5 M | 3.9% | Port |
| 10 | Gijón | 16.7 M | +3.3% | 16.1 M | 3.1% | Port |
| 11 | Baleares | 13.8 M | +11.4% | 12.4 M | 2.5% | Port |
| 12 | A Coruña | 11.9 M | +12.1% | 10.6 M | 2.2% | Port |
| 13 | Santa Cruz de Tenerife | 11.1 M | +1.6% | 11 M | 2.0% | Port |
| 14 | Ferrol-San Cibrao | 9.96 M | −0.7% | 10 M | 1.8% | Port |
| 15 | Santander | 6.77 M | +15.4% | 5.87 M | 1.2% | Port |
| 16 | Almería | 5.83 M | +20.8% | 4.83 M | 1.1% | Port |
| 17 | Bahía de Cádiz | 4.94 M | +11.1% | 4.45 M | 0.9% | Port |
| 18 | Vigo | 4.81 M | +7.0% | 4.5 M | 0.9% | Port |
| 19 | Avilés | 4.71 M | +14.2% | 4.12 M | 0.9% | Port |
| 20 | Málaga | 4.49 M | +62.6% | 2.76 M | 0.8% | Port |
| 21 | Sevilla | 4.2 M | −0.6% | 4.23 M | 0.8% | Port |
| 22 | Pasaia | 3.54 M | +16.5% | 3.04 M | 0.6% | Port |
| 23 | Alicante | 2.65 M | −3.1% | 2.73 M | 0.5% | Port |
| 24 | Motril | 2.53 M | +14.2% | 2.21 M | 0.5% | Port |
| 25 | Marín y Ría de Pontevedra | 2.18 M | +4.3% | 2.09 M | 0.4% | Port |
| 26 | Ceuta | 1.57 M | −15.0% | 1.85 M | 0.3% | Port |
| 27 | Vilagarcía | 1.51 M | +24.9% | 1.21 M | 0.3% | Port |
| 28 | Melilla | 601,613 | −3.8% | 625,244 | 0.1% | Port |
Frequently asked questions
Which was Spain’s first port by total traffic in 2021?
Bahía de Algeciras, with 105.1 million tonnes in 2021, 19.3% of the total.
Which three ports held the top positions in 2021?
Bahía de Algeciras (105.1 million), Valencia (85.3 million) and Barcelona (66.4 million) in 2021.
Which ports changed position compared with 2020?
In the 2021 ranking, the ports moving up on 2020 are Bilbao (from 6th to 4th) and Tarragona (from 7th to 5th); those moving down are Cartagena (from 4th to 6th) and Huelva (from 5th to 7th). 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.