Bilbao Port traffic rises 12.3% as liquid bulk and containers strengthen

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The Port of Bilbao handled 17.3 million tonnes of cargo during the first half of 2026, recording its strongest year on year growth for the period since 2004 as higher crude oil, liquefied natural gas and container volumes offset declines in dry bulk and RoRo traffic.

Total throughput reached 17,317,427 tonnes between January and June, an increase of 12.3%, or almost 1.9 million tonnes, compared with the same period last year.

The result followed a difficult start to the year. Storms affected operations at many Spanish ports during January and part of February, contributing to a 9.5% fall in Bilbao’s January cargo volumes. Traffic recovered strongly from February through June, when the port recorded its highest cargo movement for that five month period in 18 years.

Liquid bulk traffic increased 24% following the normalisation of activity at the nearby Petronor refinery.

Crude oil imports rose 52%, equivalent to almost 1.8 million additional tonnes. Crude represented around 30% of all cargo handled at the port during the first half.

Liquefied natural gas was the second largest cargo category, accounting for 11% of total throughput. LNG discharge volumes increased 11%, or 200,849 tonnes.

Exports of gasoline and chemical products also rose, alongside higher imports of soybeans.

The performance was less positive in other cargo segments. General cargo not transported in containers declined 4%. Conventional cargo increased 5.1%, reaching its strongest level of the decade, but RoRo cargo fell 18.7%. Dry bulk volumes decreased 11.5%.

The figures show how a port’s cargo mix can behave like a balanced portfolio. Strong energy and conventional cargo volumes compensated for weaker activity in other segments, preventing declines in RoRo and dry bulk from pulling total throughput lower.

Project cargo linked to offshore wind remained active during the first six months of the year.

Haizea Wind continued exporting monopiles and offshore wind towers manufactured within the port area. The components are increasing in size as offshore wind projects move towards larger turbines and deeper water developments.

One monopile produced this year measured 97.3 metres in length and weighed 1,860 tonnes.

Bilbao also handled several complex logistics operations involving oversized industrial units. Four structures for Petronor’s synthetic fuel facility were discharged, assembled and transported within the port.

The installation will produce synthetic fuels using green hydrogen. The four units weighed between 160 and 535 tonnes, reached heights of up to 33 metres and had a combined weight of approximately 1,200 tonnes.

Such operations require close coordination between terminal operators, heavy transport specialists, lifting contractors and project owners, particularly when cargo dimensions limit available handling and storage options.

Imports increased about 14% during the first half, while exports rose 9%.

The port reported no significant impact on overall cargo volumes from geopolitical tensions or continuing uncertainty over international tariffs.

Bilbao’s short sea and deep sea traffic is also becoming more evenly divided. Short sea shipping represented 51% of total volumes, while deep sea routes accounted for 49%.

The strongest growth came from longer distance trades, Mediterranean Africa and domestic coastal shipping between Spanish ports.

The United States, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom were the port’s largest trading partners by volume. Mexico, Spain, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States recorded the largest increases in tonnes, mainly because of higher liquid bulk traffic. Brazil was the only major market to decline.

Spain was the leading export destination, supported by shipments of chemicals, diesel and gasoline. The United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands followed.

Russia and the United States were the largest origin markets, with similar volumes, followed by Mexico and Brazil.

New direct container services connecting Bilbao with Canada and the west coast of South America also supported growth in strategic markets. The services began operating in late 2025 and January 2026.

Changes in Venezuela’s political and economic position produced only a limited effect on Bilbao’s tanker traffic. One tanker arrived from Venezuela during the first half, compared with three in the same period last year.

A total of 1,285 vessels called at Bilbao between January and June, 32 fewer than during the first half of 2025.

Despite the lower number of calls, vessel gross tonnage increased 14%, reflecting the use of larger container ships and gas carriers. The number of gas carrier calls declined, but the vessels arriving at Bilbao had greater average capacity.

Tanker calls increased without a corresponding rise in average vessel size.

Passenger traffic grew about 13% to 135,117 travellers using cruise ships and ferry services linking the Basque Country with the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Cruise passenger numbers increased 36%, with 38 cruise calls recorded during a season expected to set another port record. Ferry passenger numbers declined 8% across 80 ferry calls.