The Spanish port of Barcelona, which claims first place in the country for direct import-export traffic, saw its container throughput fall 3.2% to 3.32 million TEU in 2019, as it lost transhipment traffic to other Mediterranean ports.
Transhipment traffic in full containers dropped 8% to 1.10 million TEU, while hinterland import-export traffic in full containers dipped just 1% to 1.45 million TEU.
The port indicated that it had lost transhipment traffic to Malta, Gioia Tauro, Algeciras and Tanger Med, adding that the downward trend looked set to continue in the current year.
It noted, however, that the fall in transhipment traffic followed particularly strong growth in transhipment traffic in preceding years, adding that last year was still the second best in the port’s history for container throughput.
Asia accounted for the biggest share of the port’s container traffic, representing 42% of exports and 75% of imports, with China alone representing 11% of exports and 42% of imports. The port said that it had good results, too, from trade with such countries as Egypt (+11.1%), Turkey (+10.5%) and Saudi Arabia (+9.6%).
Overall, the Catalan port said that last year had been one of consolidation, with total throughput coming close to the 67.8 million tonne record of the previous year at 67.7 million tonnes. Direct hinterland traffic, excluding goods for transhipment and empties, came to 35 million tonnes, the same total as in the previous year.
The port announced that it had achieved a profit of €44 (US$48.18) million last year, 18% down on the previous year’s €54 (US$59.13) million result, mainly as a result of non-recurring expenses, notably for dredging and litigation risks.
Turnover came to €172 (US$188.33) million, close to the previous year’s €174 (US$190.54) million despite a 10% reduction in cargo fees which cost it €4.5 (US$4.93) million.
Andrew Spurrier
European Correspondent
