Barcelona Port increases container traffic by 4% and the number of passengers by 11% in 2011

Barcelona (ACN).- Container traffic through Barcelona Port in 2011 has exceeded 2 million TEU, equivalent to twenty-foot long containers, according to data released by the Port Authority. This represents a 4% increase compared to 2010. Barcelona’s total traffic, which includes containers and all modes of goods transportation, totalled 44.2 million tonnes. This represents a 0.4% growth in relation to the weight transported in 2010. The traffic increase was concentrated in the first semester of the year. The 2011 results show a clear growth of exports, which have increased by 14% over the last year. China, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey have been the main markets.

14% more cars transported

Apart from goods transported in containers, another significant group of goods going through Barcelona’s Port is that of new vehicles. In 2011, the specialised terminals transported a total of 630,102 automobiles. This means a 14% increase compared to the previous year. The 14% growth has been driven by exports. 350,000 vehicles were sent to foreign markets, mainly in Europe, the eastern Mediterranean, Africa and America. They represented 25% more cars than those shipped in 2010. Vehicle imports added up to 134,720 units, 8% more than those transported through Barcelona Port in 2010.

Record of cruise ships and passengers

2011 has been a record year in the number of passengers going through the Catalan port. 3.8 million travellers passed through Barcelona’s Port, which represents an 11% increase compared to 2010. 1.1 million of these 3.8 million people were passengers of ferries linking the Balearic Islands, Italy and North Africa. Furthermore, the 881 cruise ships that docked at Barcelona Port brought 2.6 million passengers, 13% more than 2010.