Valenciaport rail traffic rises 18% as July container volumes fall

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Valenciaport recorded further growth in rail and vehicle traffic during the first seven months of 2026, even as weaker July container volumes and declining exports weighed on its wider cargo performance.

The Spanish port handled 459,517 TEUs in July, down 9.84% from 509,685 TEUs in the same month last year. The comparison was affected by an exceptionally strong July 2025, which ranked among the best July results in the port’s history.

Between January and July, container throughput reached 3,279,119 TEUs, representing a decline of 1.34% from the corresponding period of 2025. Traffic over the latest 12 months remained above 5.6 million TEUs, rising 0.16% to 5,618,144 TEUs.

The figures show a widening difference between inbound and outbound trade. Spanish container exports through Valencia declined by 1.34% during the first seven months of the year, while imports increased by 10.33%.

The imbalance matters for shipping lines, terminal operators and inland transport providers because sustained import growth can affect equipment availability and the positioning of empty containers. It also reflects softer export demand at a time when several of Valencia’s established international markets are recording lower volumes.

China strengthened its position as the port’s largest international market. Valenciaport handled 546,966 TEUs connected with China between January and July, an increase of 18.39%. Cargo by weight rose 19.49% to 5.94 million tonnes.

The United States remained the second largest container market, although traffic fell 16.22% to 193,179 TEUs. Algeria declined 5.27% to 177,776 TEUs, while Türkiye dropped 23.98% to 112,110 TEUs. Container traffic with Italy decreased 19.73% to 61,149 TEUs.

Growth was recorded in several other markets. Brazil increased 16.49% to 83,124 TEUs, Morocco rose 9.18% to 76,118 TEUs and Egypt advanced 11.15% to 73,226 TEUs.

Rail was one of the clearest areas of growth. Trains serving Valenciaport transported 2.30 million tonnes between January and July, up 19.31% from the same period last year.

Container traffic by rail reached 172,328 TEUs, an increase of 17.97%. The expansion indicates that rail is taking a larger role in connecting the port’s terminals with inland production and distribution centres.

The growth provides an alternative to road transport for higher volume cargo flows and can help improve the reliability of port connections. For shippers, the operational question is straightforward: can rail capacity continue growing quickly enough to match rising import volumes?

Vehicle traffic also increased. Valenciaport handled 48,405 vehicles as cargo during July, up 19.09% from the same month in 2025.

Cumulative vehicle throughput reached 325,335 units between January and July, representing growth of 10.68%. Over the latest 12 months, the port handled 555,878 vehicles, an increase of 6.21%.