The state's general interest ports in Andalusia accumulated 23.2 million tons of goods during the first two months of 2026, a 7% decrease compared to the same period of the previous year. The data still reflects the consequences of the string of storms that affected the autonomous community between January and February, with episodes that forced the suspension of port activity at specific times, especially in the Strait of Gibraltar area, where strong winds interrupted both loading operations and ferry traffic for several days.
The Port of Algeciras maintains its position as Spain's largest port by volume of goods, with 14.1 million tons in the bimonthly period, although the figure represents a 14.2% decline compared to the previous year. The cargo terminals at the port of Algeciras remained inactive for several days due to adverse weather, which affected the overall results. However, monthly data show signs of recovery: the partial figure for February is similar to that of January, and container traffic managed to maintain levels from the previous year. The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras points to a gradual normalization starting in March, once weather conditions stabilize.
At the opposite end of the Andalusian table, the Port of Málaga features the most remarkable start of the year in the entire Spanish port system. The Málaga dock moved 1.12 million tons, a 52.5% increase compared to the same period in 2025, and nearly doubled the tonnage recorded in February compared to the same month of the previous year. The surge in general cargo, with an 82% increase, and the good performance of liquid bulk led to this result, placing Málaga 15th in the national port ranking.
The Port of Huelva, the second largest in Andalusia by volume, moved 5 million tons, a 4.2% increase compared to the previous year, after a recovery in February that allowed it to improve its accumulated balance. Liquid bulk is growing and points to a good year, although solid bulk remains below the figures of 2025. Huelva dropped to seventh place in the national ranking in February after being surpassed by Bilbao.
The Port of Almería regained fourth place among Andalusian ports, with one million tons and a 6.3% increase. The main factor behind this improvement is the performance of liquid bulk, which in February doubled the figure from the previous year and accumulated a 151% increase in the first two months of the year.
The Port of Cádiz closed the bimonthly period with 894,492 tons, practically balanced with the previous year (-0.3%), thanks to a February in which it regained momentum. Liquid bulk, with a 46% increase, has been the most dynamic segment of the Cádiz dock at this start of the year.
The Port of Seville accumulates a more complicated start of the year, with 628,594 tons and a 12% decrease compared to the previous year, dragged down by the decline in containerized and general cargo. Meanwhile, the Port of Motril maintains its upward trend with 411,000 tons, an 8.9% increase, extending the positive trajectory of recent months.
In terms of passenger traffic, the ports in the Bay of Algeciras (Algeciras and Tarifa) continue to be the busiest in the Peninsula, only behind Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, although continuous interruptions in ferry rotations led to a 13.9% decrease, down to 629,667 travelers. Málaga recorded a notable increase of 27.1% in passengers, reaching 74,825, thanks to a 118% rise in the number of cruise passengers. Cádiz improved by 6.9%, reaching 26,000 passengers, also supported by cruises. Almería moved 58,491 travelers (-14%); Motril, 13,807 (+9.4%); Huelva, 5,337 (-2.5%); and Seville, 976, with an increase of 132.9% although from a very small base.
On the national level, the state's general interest ports moved 85,955,203 tons by February, a 1.3% decrease compared to the same period in 2025. Economic uncertainty and terminal closures due to adverse weather affected all traffic. Liquid bulk was the segment with the best performance, with 28.8 million tons and a growth of 3.6%, thanks to the push of fuels. General cargo accumulated over 42 million tons, with a decrease that moderated from 8.1% in January to 4% in February. TEUs barely decreased by 0.3%, down to 2.8 million. Solid bulk fell by 1.9%, down to 12.7 million tons, and ro-ro traffic decreased by 5.3%, down to 11.1 million. The number of merchant vessels dropped by 8%, down to 21,756 units, while passenger traffic remained stable with more than 4.4 million movements.