Ro-Ro

The Port of Barcelona has established itself as a starting point for motorways of the sea. It has been able to integrate the top-level infrastructures in its surroundings, such as the airport, the free zone and the logistics activities zone, with a wide range of regular maritime services that connect it with the main ports in southern Europe and North Africa.

Another mainstay of the Port of Barcelona's commitment to intermodality are its interior terminals, connected by rail to the port area and its facilities.

Sustainable and ecological alternative

Short sea shipping offers transport and logistics companies an efficient, fast and reliable way to cross the Mediterranean, from the south coast to the north, to then link up with France using regular and efficient rail services. And also with Central Europe, through competitive and sustainable logistics chains. In 2019, this means of transport made it possible to avoid more than 151,000 trucks on the roads in favour of the maritime mode, with the consequent reduction of CO2 emissions and polluting gases, in addition to significant savings in time and costs.

 

Fresh products from Barcelona for all of Europe

Among the offer of the services offered to the large European consumption centres include specific services for fresh products, especially in the main food markets in the region, such as Mercabarna, Mercazaragoza, Mercamadrid, Rungis or Saint Charles International, the main market specialising in fruit and vegetables in the south of France, just 200 km from the Port of Barcelona. It is important to highlight the Canal Frío, a unique daily rail service in Europe made up of trains made up of 28 refrigerated wagons that connect Barcelona daily with the Zaragoza Maritime Terminal (tmZ).

Barco entrando en Barcelona

Terminals and operators

The Port of Barcelona has four SSS (Short Sea Shipping) terminals and numerous maritime, land and rail operators to cover the specific needs of this type of traffic.
Initiatives to expedite administrative procedures

Strong commitment to the Motorways of the Sea and intermodality

The competent administrations and the companies of the Port Community of Barcelona make a constant effort to adapt efficiently and quickly to the needs of importers and exporters and logistics operators in the southern Mediterranean. In 2020, coinciding with the entry into service of a new regular service between the Port of Barcelona and Morocco, Ro-Ro traffic on this route increased by 18%, with an increase of 285% in the first two months of that year.