Message from the general manager
We recorded the largest increase in container traffic of the last decade - 14.5% - making it possible to exceed 2.2 million TEU
José Alberto Carbonell
General Manager of the Port of Barcelona
Activity at the Port of Barcelona was extremely dynamic during 2016, as reflected in the total 48.7 million tonnes of goods handled (freight plus fishing and victualling), up 3.4% on the previous year. New records were also established in strategic traffics such as containerised cargo in foreign trade, vehicles and passengers, showing that we are well positioned to achieve the goals that we set in the Third Strategic Plan 2015 - 2020.
Particularly noteworthy was the behaviour of container traffic, which is a good indicator of the progression of the local economy. This year we recorded the largest increase in the last decade - 14.5% - which made it possible to exceed 2.2 million TEU (20-foot container equivalent unit) and to bring us closer to the levels prior to the onset of the 2008 economic crisis.
This positive performance could be seen in all sections of containerised traffic. Regarding foreign trade, export container numbers increased by 3.8% (to 683,527 TEU), clearly revealing the efforts made by the productive sector to internationalise their operations, while import traffic rose by 8.7% (a total of 518,480 TEU), clearly reflecting the recovery in domestic consumption. Coastal traffic with the Islands also performed well, with a year-on-year increase of 10%; and the 47% increase in transhipment, at 431,750 TEU, indicates a recovery in traffic that was hit hard during the crisis.
As for the Port's main markets, more than two thirds of imports - 77% - come from the Asian continent, which also receives 43% of the exports leaving our port facilities. By country, China remains the largest trading partner, since it is the origin or destination of 23% of the containers passing through the Port. Moreover, the American continent accounts for 25% of exports and 9% of imports, with Brazil, Mexico and the United States the countries that increased their trade with the Port of Barcelona the most.
Trade in vehicles, another of our strategic traffics, grew 4% in 2016, hitting a record high of 916,834 units. Once again, the majority of this total also relates to foreign trade: exports grew 3%, with 465,000 units, while imports advanced at a rate of 20% to 206,000 units.
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Passenger numbers also renewed their record highs, reaching a total of almost 4 million passengers (up 6.7%). Ferry traffic with the Balearic Islands, Italy and North Africa grew 9%, ending the year with 1.27 million passengers; there were a total of 2.68 million cruise passengers, an increase of 5.6% year on year. Particular mention should be made of the fact that passengers in turnaround (starting and ending their cruise in Barcelona, who therefore make a greater contribution to the local economy) represent more than half of all the Port's cruise passengers (58%), marking a year-on-year increase of 14%.
This year the Port of Barcelona channelled more than 370,500 ITU (intermodal transport units, goods on a truck, trailer or platform), which was 2.9% more than the previous year. This business segment includes exchanges with the Islands (235.400 ITU), which increased 7.4%, as did Short Sea Shipping (SSS), which channelled more than 135,000 ITU to various destinations in Italy and North Africa. This represented diverting a similar number of trucks off the roads and onto the maritime mode, which is more economically and environmentally efficient, since it reduces emissions.
The Port of Barcelona's commitment to intermodality and better environmental behaviour is also moving forward thanks to the increased use of the railways: the rail share rose from 3.2% of total traffic in 2006 to 13% in 2016. As regards container traffic by rail, which grew by 6%, a new service was launched at the end of the year operating refrigerated trains with Zaragoza. It is worth mentioning that more than a third of the vehicles that entered or left the Port of Barcelona did so using the rail mode.
Moreover, we find that bulk traffics are especially affected by market conditions and operations. This year the Port shipped 11.4 million tonnes of liquid bulk, down 5% year on year, while diesel fuel (the main hydrocarbon passing through the Port) increased 16.4 % to 2.7 million tonnes. The volume of dry bulk handled remained practically stable compared to the previous year, at 4.4 million tonnes. However, some of the main commodity groups recorded notable increases, such as cement and clinker and cereals and flour (up 9%).
Apart from reflecting the dynamism of the productive sector and the consumer market, this growth in traffic revealed how the Port of Barcelona is adapting to the needs of both of them in infrastructure and services. Our task as a Port must be to work constantly to maintain this balance. That is why our challenge year after year, with the involvement of all the players involved, is to achieve the continuous improvement of the conditions for maritime transport and trade.
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Message from the general manager
We recorded the largest increase in container traffic of the last decade - 14.5% - making it possible to exceed 2.2 million TEU
José Alberto Carbonell
General Manager of the Port of Barcelona
Activity at the Port of Barcelona was extremely dynamic during 2016, as reflected in the total 48.7 million tonnes of goods handled (freight plus fishing and victualling), up 3.4% on the previous year. New records were also established in strategic traffics such as containerised cargo in foreign trade, vehicles and passengers, showing that we are well positioned to achieve the goals that we set in the Third Strategic Plan 2015 - 2020.
Particularly noteworthy was the behaviour of container traffic, which is a good indicator of the progression of the local economy. This year we recorded the largest increase in the last decade - 14.5% - which made it possible to exceed 2.2 million TEU (20-foot container equivalent unit) and to bring us closer to the levels prior to the onset of the 2008 economic crisis.
This positive performance could be seen in all sections of containerised traffic. Regarding foreign trade, export container numbers increased by 3.8% (to 683,527 TEU), clearly revealing the efforts made by the productive sector to internationalise their operations, while import traffic rose by 8.7% (a total of 518,480 TEU), clearly reflecting the recovery in domestic consumption. Coastal traffic with the Islands also performed well, with a year-on-year increase of 10%; and the 47% increase in transhipment, at 431,750 TEU, indicates a recovery in traffic that was hit hard during the crisis.
As for the Port's main markets, more than two thirds of imports - 77% - come from the Asian continent, which also receives 43% of the exports leaving our port facilities. By country, China remains the largest trading partner, since it is the origin or destination of 23% of the containers passing through the Port. Moreover, the American continent accounts for 25% of exports and 9% of imports, with Brazil, Mexico and the United States the countries that increased their trade with the Port of Barcelona the most.
Trade in vehicles, another of our strategic traffics, grew 4% in 2016, hitting a record high of 916,834 units. Once again, the majority of this total also relates to foreign trade: exports grew 3%, with 465,000 units, while imports advanced at a rate of 20% to 206,000 units.
1/2
Passenger numbers also renewed their record highs, reaching a total of almost 4 million passengers (up 6.7%). Ferry traffic with the Balearic Islands, Italy and North Africa grew 9%, ending the year with 1.27 million passengers; there were a total of 2.68 million cruise passengers, an increase of 5.6% year on year. Particular mention should be made of the fact that passengers in turnaround (starting and ending their cruise in Barcelona, who therefore make a greater contribution to the local economy) represent more than half of all the Port's cruise passengers (58%), marking a year-on-year increase of 14%.
This year the Port of Barcelona channelled more than 370,500 ITU (intermodal transport units, goods on a truck, trailer or platform), which was 2.9% more than the previous year. This business segment includes exchanges with the Islands (235.400 ITU), which increased 7.4%, as did Short Sea Shipping (SSS), which channelled more than 135,000 ITU to various destinations in Italy and North Africa. This represented diverting a similar number of trucks off the roads and onto the maritime mode, which is more economically and environmentally efficient, since it reduces emissions.
The Port of Barcelona's commitment to intermodality and better environmental behaviour is also moving forward thanks to the increased use of the railways: the rail share rose from 3.2% of total traffic in 2006 to 13% in 2016. As regards container traffic by rail, which grew by 6%, a new service was launched at the end of the year operating refrigerated trains with Zaragoza. It is worth mentioning that more than a third of the vehicles that entered or left the Port of Barcelona did so using the rail mode.
Moreover, we find that bulk traffics are especially affected by market conditions and operations. This year the Port shipped 11.4 million tonnes of liquid bulk, down 5% year on year, while diesel fuel (the main hydrocarbon passing through the Port) increased 16.4 % to 2.7 million tonnes. The volume of dry bulk handled remained practically stable compared to the previous year, at 4.4 million tonnes. However, some of the main commodity groups recorded notable increases, such as cement and clinker and cereals and flour (up 9%).
Apart from reflecting the dynamism of the productive sector and the consumer market, this growth in traffic revealed how the Port of Barcelona is adapting to the needs of both of them in infrastructure and services. Our task as a Port must be to work constantly to maintain this balance. That is why our challenge year after year, with the involvement of all the players involved, is to achieve the continuous improvement of the conditions for maritime transport and trade.