10% growth in traffic in the first half of the year

Between January and June, the Port of Bilbao handled 18 million tonnes of goods, an increase of almost 10% and 1.6 million more than the same period last year. This is the highest percentage increase since before the pandemic, is above the average for State Ports (+3%) and confirms the upturn in the business of the port, in line with the reactivation of the Basque economy.

Figures for bulk liquids and breakbulk are up 16% and 11% respectively, whilst those for container traffic and bulk solids have fallen by 5% and 2%, respectively. In general terms, the goods with the highest upturn in traffic have been diesel oil, crude oil, chemical products, steel products, minerals and paper and pulp, whilst those which have seen the biggest downturn have been natural gas, fuel oil, oils and fats, cement and clinker and soya beans.

Ro-Ro traffic is up 11% and has exceeded 550,000 tonnes, whilst figures for ITUs (intermodal transport units) have also increased by 4%. These results have been achieved despite the fact that Brittany Ferries has not operated in the first quarter of this year due to structural modifications undertaken to adapt the ro-ro ramp to the demands of its new vessels, which, like those of Finnlines – the other shipping company that carries ro-ro traffic – have greater capacity and are, in turn, more sustainable.

In terms of seaboards, Atlantic Europe leads the way with 43% of the traffic, followed by Atlantic North America with 16%, Atlantic South America with 14% and Asia with 13%. Of the twenty main countries to which the port imports and exports, twelve are outside Europe, which proves that Bilbao is a port with services and traffic for both short sea shipping and transoceanic routes.