Valenciaport Imports Drive Container Traffic Growth in First Half of 2026

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Valencia, Spain, July 20, 2026 – Import container volumes were the main driver of growth at Valenciaport during the first six months of 2026, with full import containers rising 11.14% year-on-year, highlighting resilient domestic demand despite softer export and overall cargo volumes.

The ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia handled 2,819,602 TEUs during the first half of the year, representing a modest 0.20% increase compared with the same period in 2025. In June alone, container throughput reached 502,095 TEUs, up 0.35% year-on-year.

Full import containers climbed to 559,825 TEUs, an increase of 11.14%, while full export containers edged down 0.84% to 451,669 TEUs.

In total, the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) handled 39.92 million tonnes of cargo during the first half of 2026, a 3.12% decline compared with the previous year. June throughput totaled 7.02 million tonnes, down 0.62%.

Load and discharge cargo continued to perform positively, reaching 24.99 million tonnes, up 1.63%. Import cargo increased 6.43% to 12.76 million tonnes, while export cargo fell 2.94% to 12.23 million tonnes.

Rail freight remained one of Valenciaport’s strongest-performing segments during the period.

Cargo transported by rail rose 19.51% to 1.96 million tonnes, while rail container volumes increased 16.78% to 144,803 TEUs.

Vehicle traffic also recorded solid growth, with 276,930 vehicles handled during the first half of the year, representing a 9.33% increase over the same period in 2025.

The Port of Sagunto delivered particularly strong performance, handling 110,001 vehicles, up 24.26% year-on-year.

Valenciaport handled 612,305 passengers during the first six months of 2026, a 9.63% decline overall.

The decrease was driven by weaker cruise activity, with cruise passenger numbers falling 23.88% to 237,547.

In contrast, regular ferry services continued to grow, with passenger numbers increasing 2.53% to 374,758.

During June, the port handled 156,116 passengers.

China remained Valenciaport’s largest trading partner during the first half of 2026, accounting for 469,504 TEUs, a 25.14% increase compared with the previous year.

Other leading trading partners included:

• United States: 167,540 TEUs (-14.01%)
• Algeria: 156,822 TEUs (-3.78%)
• Turkey: 97,833 TEUs (-24.95%)
• Italy: 53,083 TEUs (-19.96%)

Measured by cargo weight, trade with China exceeded 5.1 million tonnes, up 26.33%. Italy handled 3.1 million tonnes (-12.58%), while trade with the United States approached 3 million tonnes, down 6.09%.

The first-half figures indicate that robust import demand, coupled with continued expansion in rail freight and vehicle handling, helped offset weaker export activity and lower overall cargo tonnage, allowing Valenciaport to maintain stable container throughput during the opening six months of 2026.

^{Source: The Valencia Port Authority}