The Port of Barcelona closed fiscal year 2018 with record results in the main traffic indicators. It also enhanced its role as the main facilitator of export activity, aimed at increasingly diversified and further distant markets.
These results also confirm the increase in intermodality, with important growth in rail transport and Motorways of the Sea, helping to boost the sustainability of the logistics chains that pass through the Port of Barcelona.
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During financial year 2018, the Catalan infrastructure channelled 67.7 million tonnes of traffic, including all cargo modes, representing a year-on-year increase of 10% and achieving a new record for the Port.
This result was driven due to the progression in container traffic, which was over 3.4 million TEU, marking a 15% increase. This growth came on top of the increase experienced in 2017 (+32.5%), when Barcelona became the fastest-growing European port.
Good results were also reported on transhipment containers, with an increase of 35%. Foreign trade containerised cargo also performed well, particularly exports. Thus, the Port of Barcelona was able to channel 752,915 export TEU, marking an increase of 6.6% year on year. Imports also increased by 3.5%.
In addition, China consolidated its role as the Port’s main trading partner, however there is a diversity of markets that trade goods and products with the Catalan capital. This variety can be seen among the countries showing greater dynamism in their trade with the Port: Algeria (+45%), the US (+18%), India (+4.4%), Mexico (+12.6%), Vietnam (+27.5%), Thailand (+18.7%) and Egypt (+14%).
2018 also marked a third record in activity: liquid bulk, with 15.2 million tonnes (mainly hydrocarbons) that rose by 5.2%. By volume, the most important product is natural gas (+3%), followed by gasoline (+12.6%). However, biofuels are the liquid bulk that increased the most (+34.8%).
In the meantime, dry bulk and vehicles experienced a certain year-on-year decrease in activity. At 4.2 million tonnes, dry bulk goods reduced (-4.7%) because of the decline in cement exports.
Furthermore, the Port of Barcelona recorded vehicle traffic of 810,218 units, 3% down on the previous year.
44% of cruise passengers arrive in low season
As for the cruise industry, during year 2018 the Port of Barcelona received 4.4 million passengers (+8.6%). Of these, 1.4 million passengers were users of regular ferry lines, and 3 million were cruise passengers (+12%). What is more there was an increase in two types of cruise passengers: those in turnaround (starting and ending their route in Barcelona) and those that arrive in low season.
The number of passengers in turnaround, who spend more in the surrounding area, increased by 16%, which is double the growth of those staying only one day on shore (+8%). In addition, the number of cruise passengers arriving during the low season increased by 17% and already account for 44% of cruise passengers visiting the city.
