Container traffic last April was 6% higher than in April 2019 - a year which was not affected by COVID-19 - and 10% higher than in April 2020. In this last April 2021, 7,245,859 tonnes of goods were handled, an increase of 4.1% compared to 2019 and 13% compared to 2020

Data on goods movements and container traffic from Valenciaport for the month of April show that the port facilities managed by the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) have closed the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2021, the Valenciaport docks operated 479,171 containers, i.e. 26,687 TEUs (standard 20-foot container) more than in April 2019, the year without the pandemic. In relative figures, this represents a growth of 5.9%, while compared to April last year, the increase is 9.9%.

These data are reinforced by year-on-year container management. Thus, between April this year and 2020, 5,542,090 were mobilised, a historic figure for Valenciaport (the previous figure was 5,513,371 corresponding to September 2019-2018), and leaving far behind the year-on-year data obtained in July 2020, when 5,173,064 TEUs were handled (the most complicated dates of COVID-19). Valenciaport's activity recovers its dynamism of recent years because of the reactivation of Spanish goods and products companies and their exporting vocation. This puts the port facilities of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia on track to reach six million containers in 2021.

The export flow once again plays a fundamental role. In April this year, cargo containers destined for sales abroad grew by 29.45% according to data from the PAV's Statistical Bulletin. On a year-on-year basis, Valenciaport exceeded one million TEUs of cargo for the first time in its history, specifically reaching 1,007,677.

But not only containers have shown dynamism. The goods operated by Valenciaport in April this year were 7,245,859, 4.1% more than in 2019 and 13% more than in April 2020.

2021 gets off to a strong start

With regard to the first four months of 2021, a total of 28,086,030 tonnes of goods were moved through Valenciaport's docks, 1,244,017 more than in the same period of 2019, i.e. 4.63%. Similarly, the growth compared to January-April 2020 was 9.54%.

Likewise, 1,863,004 containers were handled in this period, 3% more than in the last year without being affected by COVID-19. If we compare the data for the first four-month period with last year, the growth in TEUs was 6.5%, with those destined for export once again standing out, which increased by 20%, while those for unloading increased by +9.25% and those for transit by +4.23%. Empty containers, on the other hand, recorded similar figures to 2020.

Undoubtedly, these data show the capacity of the productive sector of Valenciaport's hinterland to cope with an exceptional situation marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The activity of exporting and importing companies is driving Spanish economic activity and the Port of Valencia is the perfect ally to take products to any corner of the world.

Dynamism in construction materials and agri-foods industry

By sectors, in this first four-month period, exports of construction materials increased by 37.44% and the agri-food industry by 35.45%. They were followed by sales of iron and steel products (+34.24%), non-metallic minerals (+30.55%), other goods (+21.22%) and other goods (+21.22%).

In addition, it should be noted that ro-ro traffic exceeded 4 million tonnes between January and April this year, 13.75% more than in 2020.

By country, full containers handled with China grew by 27.9% in the first four months of the year to 205,217. In contrast, the United States, with 175,056 TEUs, fell by 2.38%. They are followed by Turkey (+6.48), India (+38.65%). Other notable increases are Canada (+25.28%), Morocco (+44.96%) and Italy (+38.61%). By geographical areas, the Far East grew by 17.52%, the Mediterranean and Black Sea by 3.4%, West Africa by 33.81% and Atlantic South America by 10.36%.