Freight traffic through ports of general interest increased by 2.9% through August

• TEUs rose by 11.6% and continue on an upward trend, particularly in transit, although at a slightly more moderate pace than in previous months (+17.8%)
• Passenger traffic grew by 3.7% in the first eight months of the year compared to the same period in 2023, reaching 27.8 million.

23-09-2024 (Puertos del Estado Public Entity). Ports of general interest handled a total of 376,449,304 tons between January and August 2024, marking a 2.9% increase compared to the same period last year. This aligns with previous months, although there is a slight moderation in growth.

The ongoing instability in the Red Sea in 2024 continues to drive traffic increases at Spanish ports, an effect of Spain's geostrategic position as well as the competitiveness of its ports.

In the first eight months of the year, general cargo increased by 6.9% compared to 2023, reaching 188 million tons. Containerized cargo showed the most significant growth (+9.7%), while conventional general cargo saw a more modest increase (+0.9%).

TEUs increased by 11.6% compared to the same period last year, with 12.1 million tons handled, maintaining the growth pace set earlier in the year. However, the increase in transit TEUs was slightly lower (+17.8%) than in previous months (18.7% in July or 19.9% in June).

Liquid bulk registered a 3.7% increase in August, reaching 122 million tons, driven particularly by strong performances in chemicals (+122.4%) and gasoline (+24.2%), as well as petroleum and related products overall.

All traffic categories saw increases between January and August, except for solid bulk, which, with 56.3 million tons, experienced a 9.2% decline compared to the same period in 2023, primarily due to drops in coal (-51.7%) and certain food products.

Ro-ro traffic remained almost unchanged from the same month last year, with 48.7 million tons.

The number of merchant ships passing through Spanish ports increased by 0.9% in the first eight months of the year, totaling 111,787 units, while gross tonnage grew by 2.7%.

Passenger traffic through Spanish ports increased by 3.7% through August compared to 2023, with 27.8 million movements.