Spain's Port Authority Reports 556.2 Million Tonnes and Record Passenger Traffic in 2025

On October 1, 2026, Puertos del Estado released the Statistical Yearbook of the State-Owned Port System for 2025. The document confirms that Spanish ports handled 556.2 million tonnes of cargo during the year, a 0.3% decrease compared to 2024, amid ongoing global geopolitical and economic instability. Meanwhile, passenger traffic reached a new record, with 42.49 million people passing through the country's ports, up 4% from the previous year.

The Yearbook also details the technical characteristics of the 46 ports of general interest that make up the state port system, managed by 28 Port Authorities. Key infrastructure figures include nearly 395,000 linear meters of quay length, close to 100 million square meters of land area and storage space, and 2,145 aids to navigation operated by the Port Authorities, including 204 lighthouses and prominent lights.

The report highlights that maritime transport remains essential to Spanish trade, offering lower unit costs over long distances, greater cargo-handling capacity, and higher levels of safety and sustainability than other modes of transport. According to AEAT data cited in the Yearbook, approximately 71% of Spain's imports and 52% of its exports are carried out by sea.

The release of the Yearbook was also picked up by international media, which noted that the final 2025 figures show a 0.3% drop in cargo volume, down to 556.2 million tonnes, alongside the record 42.49 million passengers. Coverage emphasized that the document encompasses cargo, container, vessel call, and passenger data for the entire state port system.

According to more recent data released by Diario del Puerto, the first half of 2026 showed a slight improvement following a weak start to the year, with Spanish ports closing the January-June period at 277.68 million tonnes, representing growth compared to the same period the previous year.