​Intermodal South America offers new opportunities to the Spanish port sector, which is seeking to improve upon the total of 45.7 million tons moved with Latin American countries
 

Spanish ports boost their role as distribution centers between continents

• Brazil, with more than 18 million tons, accounts for nearly 45% of Spanish port commerce with South America

31-03-2017 (Spanish Ministry of Public Works and Transport). Puertos del Estado, as the organizer and coordinator of all of Spain's ports, and an ample representation of Spanish port authorities (Bay of Algeciras, Barcelona, Ferrol, Huelva, Las Palmas, S.C. Tenerife, Tarragona and Valencia) will be present at the 2017 Intermodal South America trade fair to be held in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo from 4 to 6 April.

The aim of the "Ports of Spain" brand and the slogan "Once you're there, you're everywhere in Europe" is to consolidate the image of Spain as the ideal connection to attract both import/export goods to Spain and Europe and as a base for maritime traffic. Thus, Puertos del Estado and Spanish port authorities are joined by a large number of representatives of both Spanish and international companies industrial clusters: Acciona, Chemmed, Grupo Romeu, Hutchison and Noatum, which are strengthening and consolidating Spain's role as a privileged interlocutor between continents, playing a key role in the development of maritime traffic and world commerce.

The goal is thus to boost the traffic between Spanish ports and the primary ports in South America, with which Spain already moves over 41 million tons, and also traffic with an origin/destination in Europe's primary production and consumption centers, which currently account for almost 10 million tons.

The flow of commerce with Central and South American countries, with 45.7 million tons, accounted for 10% of total goods movements of Spanish ports in 2016. As a continent, it is fourth, behind Europe with 227.9 million tons, (50.5%), Africa with 101.7 million tons (22.5%), and Asia, with 72.1 million (16%), but ahead of movements with North America, which accounted for 41 million tons (9%). These figures clearly show there is still considerable room for growth in port traffic with the countries in the region.

GOODS TRAFFIC BY AREAS OF THE WORLD

• BRAZIL, WITH 11.7 MILLION TONS, SPAIN'S MAIN TRADING PARTNER IN SOUTH AMERICA

Brazil is now Spain's leading trading partner in South America. It is the ninth largest economy in the world by GDP, accounting for 40% of Latin America's GDP, and its foreign trade makes it one of the top 25 exporters in the world.

Of the 41.2 million tons moved with the main countries in the area in 2016, nearly 45% –that is, more than 18 million tons– correspond to trade with Brazil. The trade balance is clearly in favor of Brazil, as exports to Spain amounted to nearly 9 million tons last year –mainly iron mineral, soy beans, crude petroleum, cereals and flours–, whereas imports of Spanish products to Brazil were 2,6 million tons, mainly chemical products, cement, clinker and petroleum products.

• MAIN ORIGINS/DESTINATIONS OF GOODS IN SOUTH AMERICA

(Traffic over 1 million tons)

Spanish ports and companies seek to continue to play a key function in the EU's relations with South America, and to consolidate Spain's position as the privileged hub in maritime traffic between the two continents.

• INTERMODAL SOUTH AMERICA

Intermodal South America, which is holding its 20th edition this year, is the largest and most important trade fair in Latin America in the sector of foreign commerce, logistics and transport. With more than 36,000 m2 in display area, last year it brought together 600 exhibitors from
30 countries and received more than 45,000 visitors.