Port traffic fell by 3.6% compared to the previous year

228 million tons moved in the first five months of the year

• Passenger traffic, with a strong growth (+43%), reaches pre-pandemic figures.

22-06-2023 (State Ports Public Body). The movement of goods through the 46 ports of general interest of the State during the first five months of the year reached 228.306.196 tons, which represented a decrease of -3.6% compared to the data for 2022.

By way of presentation, liquid bulks fell by -2.1% due, in part, to the shutdowns of several of the refineries in the system, which has caused crude oil imports to fall compared to last year.

Solid bulk has increased by +1%, thanks to imports of cereals and their flours (+30%), caused by the drought we are suffering, and the increase in coal (+35.6%) caused by the transits that are taking place in some of our ports. These increases compensate for declines in iron ore, other metallic ores and residues and other non-metallic minerals, maintaining the upward trend in solid bulk.

General merchandise fell by -5.8%, largely due to the decrease in containerized freight traffic (-8.9%), while conventional general merchandise continued to increase by +1%. In this section, the recovery of vehicles under the goods regime stands out, up to +37.1% above last year (significant increases in Barcelona, Valencia, Vigo, Santander and Tarragona). The number of vehicles exceeded 1.39 million units.

Likewise, ro-ro traffic (industrial vehicles loaded with goods) maintained its upward trend with 30.4 million tonnes moved (+2.6%).

Container traffic fell by -8.3%, mainly due to the -12% drop in traffic

• PASSENGER TRAFFIC ON TRACK FOR A NEW RECORD

Passenger traffic has experienced very significant increases (+43%), fully recovering pre-pandemic normality in passengers, both cruise and regular transport. For the evolution of this type of traffic and with these figures prior to the summer, the development of Operation Crossing the Strait and the traffic associated with tourism and the summer season will be crucial. The total number of passengers up to the month of May exceeded 12.1 million people, of which about 3.9 million were cruise passengers.