Flat year for container segment at Port of Barcelona

Container traffic growth plateaued at the Port of Barcelona last year, although volumes increased in other segments, helping overall throughput to reach a record high of 71m tonnes.

In the container segment, the port handled 3.5m teu, with a 3% rise in imports and a 5% increase in transhipment offsetting a 6% decline in exports.

The port authority noted: “In the case of full container traffic, which best reflects the state of the economy, the Port of Barcelona has mirrored the slowdown in international maritime traffic, although to a lesser extent than in other ports in the region.”