Port of Algeciras sees container traffic rise despite slight overall fall

The latest statistics published by the Port of Algeciras have recorded continued growth in container traffic in the first six months of 2026, despite a decline in overall cargo throughput. 

The figures show that the number of containers handled increased by 1.36% to 1,371,191 units, while total number of TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) rose by 3.46% to 2,380,131. 

The strongest growth came from international transit traffic, which increased by 7.48% to 1.86 million TEUs. Within this category, full containers rose by 3.82%, while empty containers surged by more than 28%, reflecting changing shipping patterns. 

By contrast, domestic transit traffic fell sharply by 23.34%, with full containers down by almost 25%. 

Import container volumes continued to perform strongly, increasing by 7.98%, while exports were broadly stable, slipping just 0.25%. However, export volumes of full containers declined by nearly 11%, offset by a 25.28% increase in empty containers. 

Despite the rise in container movements, the total weight of containerised cargo fell by 2.71% to just over 26 million tonnes. 

International transit tonnage remained broadly unchanged, increasing by 0.88%, while domestic transit cargo declined by 24.54%. 

Import cargo grew by 4.84%, although exports dropped by 8.9%. 

Overall cargo throughput across all sectors decreased by 1.62%, from 50.86 million tonnes to 50.04 million tonnes. 

Liquid bulk traffic, the port's largest cargo category, declined by 2.11%, while solid bulk traffic fell by more than 21%, driven by a dramatic reduction in loaded cargo. 

General cargo, which includes containerised freight, slipped by 1.81%, with both loaded and unloaded volumes recording modest declines. 

One of the few bright spots outside the container sector was local traffic, which increased by 8.59% to 1.74 million tonnes. Ship supply operations remained relatively stable, falling by just 1.24%, although supplies categorised as "other" rose by more than 26%. 

Passenger traffic also declined during the period. A total of 2.19 million passengers used the port, down 2.64% compared with the previous year. 

The Algeciras–Ceuta route saw the sharpest reduction, with passenger numbers falling by more than 10%, while traffic on the Algeciras–Tangier Med service eased by 1.68%. The Tarifa–Tangier route bucked the trend, recording a 9.24% increase in passengers. 

Vehicle movements mirrored the decline in passenger traffic, falling by 3.18% overall. However, the Tarifa–Tangier service again recorded strong growth, with vehicle numbers rising by almost 24%. 

Heavy goods vehicle traffic remained resilient, increasing marginally by 0.94% to 287,080 units, underlining the port's continuing importance as a freight gateway between Europe and North Africa. 

The number of vessels calling at the port fell by 3.25% to 13,903, largely due to fewer passenger and container ships. Gross tonnage also declined by 5.88%, with tanker traffic recording the steepest reduction. 

The latest figures suggest that while the Port of Algeciras experienced a modest slowdown in overall cargo volumes, its core container business continued to grow, driven by robust international transhipment activity and resilient import demand.