Spanish ports handle more than 325 million tonnes of cargo through July

• Liquid bulk cargo rises by 3.4%, driven by fuel products
• Container traffic (TEUs) increases by 1.2%

24 August 2026 (Organismo Público Puertos del Estado). Cargo traffic through Spain’s ports of general interest reached 325,445,122 tonnes through July 2026, representing a 0.4% increase compared with the same period last year. Port traffic continues on a recovery path, driven by container traffic and liquid bulk cargo, following a start to the year marked by economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

General cargo recorded a slight decline of 0.8%, with more than 164.10 million tonnes handled. Conventional general cargo fell by 1.5%, while containerised cargo increased by almost one percentage point (+0.8%).

Container traffic, measured in TEUs, moderated its growth in recent months, recording a more moderate increase of 1.2%, surpassing 11 million TEUs, thanks to the momentum of import-export traffic (+1.9%).

Liquid bulk cargo improved its figures, with more than 107 million tonnes handled, representing a notable 3.4% increase, driven by a rise in gasoline, fuel oil and chemical products. Solid bulk cargo moderated its decline, falling 2.7% to 45 million tonnes, with food products — including cereals and their flours, as well as fruit, vegetables and pulses — accounting for the largest share of traffic.

Ro-ro traffic fell by just half a percentage point (-0.5%), exceeding 44.81 million tonnes during the first seven months of the year.

The number of merchant vessels decreased by 2.2%, to 92,020 vessels, while gross tonnage recorded a slight decline of 0.8%.

Passenger traffic exceeded 22.74 million movements through July, representing a 1.1% decrease compared with the same period in 2025.