Spanish ports are keeping a close watch on the potential impact of tariff threats made by US President Donald Trump, assessing how they might affect international trade and shipping.

The country’s three largest ports—Valencia, Algeciras, and Barcelona—handle a major share of Spain’s global trade. Among them, Algeciras manages the highest volume of US-bound cargo, exporting around 40,000 full containers to the US East Coast in 2024, which accounts for 20 percent of its total overseas shipments.

“At this early stage, we must take a cautious approach regarding the tariff announcements made by the Trump administration,” said Nicolas A. Martinez, head of business development and marketing at the Port of Algeciras Bay Authority. “We need to see which tariffs are imposed and how they are implemented before evaluating their full impact.”

Spain’s ports have strengthened their resilience after facing several years of logistical disruptions, including the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing shipping challenges due to conflicts in the Red Sea.

“The logistics industry has adapted to many disruptions in recent years, making it more robust. This includes logistics operators and freight handlers, which puts us in a better position to react to potential challenges,” Martinez added.

Despite concerns over new tariffs, Spanish ports remain strong. The Port of Barcelona recently reported a 30 percent surge in exports in early 2025. Martinez noted that adjustments in global trade routes could influence freight carriers’ responses.

Spain’s trade with China has also seen significant growth. At the Port of Valencia, cargo exchanges with China increased by 43.4 percent year-on-year in January, reaching 736,692 tonnes, while trade with the US declined slightly by 1 percent to 439,165 tonnes. Similarly, container traffic between Valencia and China rose by 53.1 percent to 67,475 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), whereas shipments to the US dropped by 1.8 percent to 27,763 TEUs.

According to the European Commission’s latest data, Spanish ports accounted for 14 percent of all European Union (EU) shipping traffic in 2023, ranking third behind the Netherlands (16.1 percent) and Italy (14.8 percent).

As the situation unfolds, Spanish ports continue to monitor trade shifts and prepare for potential changes in global shipping patterns due to US tariff policies.