Throughout 2016 the Harbour Authority of Bilbao plans to invest 78.1 million in strategic projects to expand market and capture new traffics.

In the first half of the year, about 15.3 million tons have been loaded or downloaded in the Port of Bilbao, 1.26% less than in the same period of the previous year. However, the Harbour Authority anticipates that the traffic will grow in the second semester, so, continuing with the trend of the last three years, the forecast of the closure of the exercise remains positive, being around 2% The cumulative decrease of the first semester is caused by the decrease of liquid bulk such as natural gas and fuel oil; of solid bulk such as scrap and iron briquettes, by the lack of activity of the ACB; and by the loss of traffic of steel products, recorded mainly by the fall of the exports of the loads of tubes caused by the low activity of the oil sector.

The most growing goods in tons are petrol, the group of other oil products, oil crude, cement and clinker, chemicals, and coal and oil coke. It also highlights the increase in the traffic of large parts (projects). Between January and June, 2,479 pieces were registered as special transport for their weight, length, width or height. This figure is 21% more than in the same period of the previous year.

For its part, traffic entering or leaving the port's facilities by rail continues to grow. In the first half of the year, the increase was 20% and the goods entering or leaving by rail is already 6% of the total, which is up to 13% if we refer only to the dry load, the most likely to use this mode of transport. As for passenger traffic, it is growing by 43%. The number of passengers on the Bilbao- Portsmouth ferry increases by 29%, while the number of cruises increases by 61%.

Exports increase

Exports, which account for 40 per cent of trafficking, grow by 3 per cent; while imports, which account for 60 per cent, fall by 4 per cent. In terms of markets, 41% of traffic is from or to Atlantic Europe, which is increasing by 18%. It follows as the second market, North Atlantic America, which rises by 3%, and Central America and the Caribbean, which grows by 13%.

Business figures are growing

The business figure in the first six months of the year is 32.1 million euros, 0.12% above the same period of the previous year.

Investment

Construction of the first phase of the central Espigón and stabilization of the quarry of Punta Lucero.
Extension of the Punta Sollana dam.
First phase of urbanization of the railway logistics terminal of Pancorbo.
Arasur railway apartment.
Sea station of the new Getxo cruise dock and mobile boarding walkway.
Fill the cell between the Z2 and AZ3 docks.

Source: CanaryPorts / Maritime Cluster