Barcelona is a vibrant Mediterranean city renowned for its iconic Gaudí architecture, rich Catalan culture, and dynamic waterfront.
Barcelona is a major port city located on Spain's northeastern Mediterranean coast in Catalonia. As Spain's second-largest city, it sits strategically between the Besòs and Llobregat rivers, backed by the Collserola mountain range. The city proper has approximately 1.7 million residents, while the metropolitan area exceeds 5 million people. Barcelona's port serves as one of the Mediterranean's most active gateways, handling goods flowing between Europe, Asia, and Africa. Its four kilometers of beaches and excellent connectivity through international airports and rail networks make it a crucial hub for both trade and tourism in southern Europe.
Barcelona’s port features two major container terminals: APM Terminals Barcelona and the semi-automated BEST terminal, together offering over 4.2 million TEU annual capacity. Key facilities include specialized terminals for vehicles (Autoterminal), solid and liquid bulks, and passenger ferries. Equipment includes quay cranes, automated stacking cranes (ASCs), reach stackers, shuttle carriers, and electric straddle carriers. Advanced cargo inspection uses mobile X-ray scanners, and AGVs support container handling at the BEST terminal.
The Port of Barcelona operates two major international container terminals—APM Terminals and Hutchison Ports BEST—plus the multipurpose Bergé Terminal. Combined, they offer over 3,000 meters of berthing line, 27 gantry cranes, and an annual capacity exceeding 5 million TEUs. Both APM and BEST are highly automated, featuring advanced IT systems and automated gate processes for optimal efficiency. Major operators include APM Terminals, Hutchison Ports, and Bergé. The port is a leading Mediterranean hub, handling the largest container ships with deep drafts up to 16.5 meters.
The Port of Barcelona offers comprehensive maritime services including:
Container Operations: Handling up to 5.5 million TEUs annually through modern terminals including semi-automated facilities
Cargo Services: Specialized in general cargo, vehicles, consumer goods, electronics, and ro-ro operations
Ship Services: Nearly 100 regular shipping lines connecting to over 200 ports worldwide
Energy & Storage: Oil product storage capacity of 8 million tons per year
Logistics Zone: Specialized warehousing and distribution services through the Barcelona Free Port and logistics activity zones
Cruise Operations: Leading Mediterranean cruise terminal with facilities for ships carrying over 6,000 passengers
Barcelona is a major Mediterranean hub, directly connected to over 200 ports worldwide via 100 regular shipping lines. It serves as the main gateway for the Iberian Peninsula and Southern Europe, efficiently linking to Spain and France by road and rail, including direct rail access to continental Europe. The port supports feeder and deep-sea routes, facilitating trade with Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, and reaches 400 million consumers within 48 hours.
Container Throughput: The Port of Barcelona handled 721,461 TEUs of full export and import containers in H1 2025, representing a 10% increase year-over-year. Export containers grew 8% to 365,062 TEUs, while imports surged 12% to 356,399 TEUs.
Total Cargo: Overall port traffic reached 34.68 million tonnes in the first half of 2025, with liquid bulk at 8.25 million tonnes and dry bulk at 1.82 million tonnes.
Infrastructure: The port is undergoing strategic infrastructure investments, including development of automated vehicle terminals and expansion of terminal capacity to support growing trade volumes with Asia and Algeria.
