The Port of Barcelona has left the pandemic behind with a total traffic of almost 71 million tons moved in 2022, surpassing the highest figure in the historical series to date, the 67.8 million tons of 2018. The effects of covid on the infrastructure's operations are thus left behind, after, last year, traffic had already approached pre-covid numbers, only 1.5% below.
The operational record in 2022 was accompanied by a turnover figure that has surpassed the pandemic, with 181 million euros, a figure, however, still diminished by the 25 million euro recovery plan approved by the port to face the crisis, points out the deputy general economic financial director, Miriam Alaminos. The year's profits have also improved on those of 2019, reaching 63 million euros. The president of the Port of Barcelona, Lluís Salvadó, has defended that these are good results considering the "turbulent year" experienced internationally.
The good performance of total traffic has been quite homogeneous among the different segments, with growth in all except containers, which have remained at a similar level compared to 2021 (-0.3%), a record year with 3.5 million TEU. Excluding containers, the most dynamic traffics have been potash (+53%), reaping the benefits of investments made in previous years by ICL, and hydrocarbons (+34.5%), with the energy crisis boosting key infrastructures in the port such as Enagás' LNG plant, the largest in Europe, and promoting a 39.1% growth of this transition gas.
Automobile traffic has also improved, an item that had been dragging years of crisis, not only due to the pandemic, and had begun to recover in the middle of last year. In total, more than 591,000 units were moved in 2022, an 18.4% increase. Although exports have decreased almost 8%, affected by the lack of semiconductors and the closure of the Nissan plant in the Zona Franca, imports have grown 63% and transshipments have done so even more, with a 145.7% increase.
"In recent years, the Port of Barcelona is becoming a distribution hub," states general director, José Alberto Carbonell, to understand the increase in traffic, with cars coming from Asia and being distributed throughout Europe from the Catalan capital. 20% of imports correspond to electric cars, which are growing and have made China the main origin, relegating Japan. One of the companies that has chosen the Port of Barcelona to distribute its vehicles is Tesla.
A segment that is still suffering the effects of covid are cruises, with 2.3 million passengers registered in 2022, still far from the 3.1 million in 2019 but above the 521,000 in 2021. For 2023, Salvadó foresees "very moderate" growth, between 2% and 3%, although he hopes it will improve in matters such as the recovery of routes with Barcelona as a home port and destandardization. Unlike cruises, ferries have registered 1.6 million passengers, 62.9% more than a year ago and a figure never before achieved in the history of the port thanks, especially, to connections with the Balearic Islands, which have also benefited Ro-Ro traffic.
Investment plan of 300 million
The Port Authority of Barcelona plans to invest some 300 million euros this 2023, as detailed by Salvadó, "a qualitative leap," compared to previous years, with 32 million disbursed in 2021. The most important item will be the update of port infrastructures, with 200 million euros. Mainly, they will be allocated to new berths in the Moll de l'Energia, with 80 million euros, and the expansion of the Moll Adossat, with 57 million euros. Other aspects in which the port will invest will be its electrification, allocating 35 million euros, and new railway accesses, with 28 million euros. Action will also be taken in the Port Vell, with a budget of 31 million euros, with an eye on the America's Cup.