Barcelona box volume off 20pc following drop in transshipment boxes

CONTAINER throughput at the Port of Barcelona plunged 20 per cent to 849,973 TEU in the first six months of the year compared to the same period in 2011, mainly due to a 49 per cent drop in transshipment containers.

Export containers increased by five per cent year-on-year, but imports declined 14 per cent because of reduced European demand. The volume of export containers recorded the highest growth rate for the six-month period in June, with a 14 per cent year-on-year increase, mainly in the form of rising shipments to China, Algeria and Argentina, according to media reports.

New vehicles constituted the best performing product in terms of sales in international markets. Between January and June, the port's roll-on, roll-off terminals handled a total of 197,613 export vehicles, up 14.4 per cent from the same period last year.

Export vehicles account for 58 per cent of all vehicle movements in the port and are largely destined for Germany, Algeria, Australia, China, Mexico, Russia, Morocco and, to a lesser extent, Ukraine and Tunisia.

Altogether, the Port of Barcelona handled a total of 343,620 vehicles in the first five months of the year, including exports, imports, and cabotage. In June, the volume of cars handled increased by 21 per cent year-on-year, the biggest monthly increase so far this year.