- A total of 7,526,757 tonnes were handled last year, 25.13% more than in 2020
- The Sagunto port handled 57,682 TEUs (standard 20-foot containers), 25.38% more than the previous year
- The number of full containers for export increased by 34.89%
- The most dynamic sectors were the energy sector, which grew by 56.83%, and the iron and steel sector, which grew by 30.45%
The Port of Sagunto closed the 2021 financial year with over 7.5 million tonnes and 57,000 TEUs (standard 20-foot container), figures which represent, in both cases, growth of over 25% compared to 2020, according to the Statistical Bulletin of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV). The activity in the Sagunto area has not only improved with respect to the year 2020 marked by the COVID-19, but also with respect to 2019. Specifically, total traffic in relation to the pre-pandemic year has grown by 8.11% and containers by 7.93%.
In 2021, the Port of Sagunto handled a total traffic of 7,526,757 tonnes, with a growth compared to 2020 of 25.13%. An increase in liquid bulk (+50.66%), solid bulk (+2.67%), non-containerised goods (+17.93%) and containerised goods (+21.33%). Compared to 2019, the activity increases by 8.12% and all products have increased except non-containerised cargo, which decreases in 2021 by 3.88% compared to the year before the pandemic.
On the other hand, a total of 57,682 containers arrived at the Sagunto docks in 2021, which represents an increase of 25.38% compared to 2020 and 7.93% compared to 2019. It is worth highlighting in the last financial year the increase in full TEUs dedicated to exports, which went from 20,335 in 2020 to 27,430 in 2021, an increase of 34.89%. On the other hand, 97,600 cars were moved, 8.9% less than in 2020.
The president of the Port Authority of Sagunto, Aurelio Martínez, highlighted “the spectacular increase in activity in the port of Sagunto, an area with a strategic role that we will continue to strengthen”. Traffic has grown in most of the productive sectors, including the energy industry, iron and steel products, vehicles and transport elements and the agri-food industry. “It is worth highlighting the increase in natural gas due to the international gas crisis that has positioned the precinct in a relevant role as one of the gas pipelines from Algeria has disappeared and will be replaced by regasification plants such as the one in Sagunto”, explained the president of the APV.
These figures highlight the value of Sagunto as a benchmark industrial port in the Western Mediterranean and reinforce the APV’s strategy to consolidate Valenciaport’s hub in this geographical area. For Aurelio Martínez “the investments we are making in the Port of Sagunto are translating into an increase in its activity and an improvement in its strategic role in the Mediterranean”. Actions such as the start-up of the Border Control Point (BPC) or others that are being executed such as the new multi-purpose terminal at Muelle Centro 2 or the railway accessibility works, will consolidate the commitment to Sagunto.
Iron and steel and energy, the sectors that move the most goods
The iron and steel industry has handled 2,526,180 tonnes in Sagunto and has grown by 30.45%. The energy sector has managed to move two million tonnes and has grown by 57% compared to the previous year. In this industry, 99% of the activity corresponds to natural gas. In 2020, 1,326,563 tonnes were transported, while this last year it has risen to 2,089,433 tonnes.In third place is the agri-food industry with 601,436 tonnes, a similar figure to 2020. In this case, the 20.42% increase in exports and the 25.85% drop in imports is noteworthy. In the vehicles and transport elements sector, 587,163 tonnes were moved, 4% more than in 2020.