Barcelona’s Port breaks new record: freight traffic exceeded one million containers in the first half of 2016

The port of barcelona, one of the main transport infrastructures in southern europe, continues to bring positive results. the number of containers handled at this facility during the first half of 2016 exceeded one million, the best figure ever registered in a six month period. this represents a growth of 13% in comparison to the same period last year, according to port de barcelona’s president, sixte cambra. moreover, the exports registered in this period exceeded by 54% the record figure registered in 2008. according to cambra, these figures “consolidate the recovery of freight traffic and accelerate the figures of barcelona’s port activity”. 

container traffic in port of barcelona moved a total of 24.2 million tonnes, which is 4% more than the same period last year. an important increase is registered in the teu, the reference unit for cargo ships, equivalent to 20 feet containers, which reached 264,624 units, 11% more than in the first half of 2015. the containers destined for export totaled 323,580 units, 4% increase in comparison to the same period last year.  

the automotive industry largely explains the good times experienced by the port of barcelona, which has transported over half a million vehicles through june, a record for a first half which if maintained, will complete a new high after a historic year in 2015. adding import and export, 477,202 vehicles were moved to facilities in this period and the year is heading to reach one million.

profits in the first six months of 2016 grew by 30% 

turnover of barcelona’s port has climbed up to 76.1 million euros, an increase of 1% compared with the first half of 2015. net profit was 19.1 million, 30% more than in the same period last year. cambra explained that these good figure is explained by an early repayment of a loan of 47.5 million euros lent by the european investment bank (eib), which meant a 60% reduction of financial costs. the debt at the end of june stood 356.6 million euros, 15% less than that registered in june 2015.