The port of Barcelona solidified its leadership in vehicle trade, ranking first among Spanish harbors with a total of 504,015 units handled in 2022. It was followed by Vigo with 444,442 vehicles and Valencia with 411,608 vehicles.
Data from the sea-port logistics sector report shows that maritime transport remains the most utilized mode of movement for vehicles, marking a 9.2% rise from the previous year and reaching 2.2 million vehicles in total. This uptick signals a clear recovery after three consecutive years of declines.
The association attributes this improvement to a 2022 production increase of 5.8% in the automobile sector, which supported export flows. Among union members, sea shipping holds the largest intermodal share at 48.4%, followed by rail at 12.1% and road transport at 39.5%.
Barcelona as an export powerhouse
In a detailed port analysis covering eight main ports for vehicle import and export, affiliates highlight Barcelona as continuing to be a major export hub, accounting for 67.6% of activity, a rise of 9.9 percentage points from the prior year.
The ship-and-rail combination has driven a movement toward more sustainable intermodality. A sizable portion of vehicles move by rail during entry or exit, representing 45.7% of total traffic. For exports, rail shares climb to 59%.
A key project underway involves constructing new southern rail accesses at the Port of Barcelona. The aim is to strengthen the port’s connection with the Mediterranean Corridor, with both rail and road improvements forming a highly strategic upgrade scheduled to be completed around 2030.
On a global scale, among the eight ports analyzed by Anfac in these comparisons, car manufacturers value factors such as speed in customs procedures, efficient allocation of warehouse space, smooth loading and unloading of trucks, and effective warehouse management.
Manufacturers also stressed the importance of advancing rail access management to ports and tailoring approaches to meet the diverse needs of each company. The overall message emphasizes enhanced intermodal capabilities as a driver of competitiveness for ports serving North American and European markets alike.