The port of Santander increased trafficking in 2012 by 0.49%, which resulted in a positive maintenance of the activity level despite the seriousness of the general economic crisis. The port exceeded 5 million tons, even with a lower number of ships.
Solid bulk constituted the category of best behavior, with a growth of 5.5%. In total there were 3,236,676 tons, which represented 63.53% of the total port traffic.
He also highlighted the export increase. In this section, the greatest growth occurred in steel products, with 33%; sodium sulfate, with 28%; and cement, with 17%. All these merchandise are generated in a hinterland near Santander, in a radius of 200 kilometers.
In imports, the traffic that increased the most were coal, 10%, and sugar, 29%. In absolute values, both merchandise registered a rise of 106,000 tons with respect to the previous year.
On the contrary, liquid bulk experienced a 43%decrease, which in absolute values meant 99,000 less of oil and chemical products.
Other merchandise more affected by the crisis were cars and their pieces, with a decrease of 18.93% compared to 2011, or ro-ro cargo transports with 5.91% less. These traffic have origin and destination in northern Europe, mainly.
For products, the largest movements in the port were coal with 456,601 tons, sodium carbonate with 411,020 tons, cars with 347,825 tons, scrap with 379,800, and manganese with 255,778 tons. These concepts represent 36% of total traffic.
A very remarkable fact has been the recovery of traffic in the last quarter, with an increase of 26.5% compared to the same period of 2011. This increase is a change in trend in foreign trade. It would be necessary to go back to 2007 to find a better quarter.
Merchandise 2012 2011 %
Liquid bulk 229.070 328,118 (30.19%)
SOLID GRANELS 3,236,676 3,060.049 5.77%
General goods 1,629,113 1,683,387 (3.22%)
AVITUALLATION AND FISHING 57.270 55,581 3.03%
TOTAL 5,152.125 5.126.683 0.49%
Passengers and cruises
With regard to passenger traffic, a decrease during 2012 was experienced in the port of Santander, a total of 185,244 passengers passed through the maritime station, compared to 211,680 in 2011.
Throughout 2012, Puerto Santander hosted 10 cruises, in which 9,244 people were traveling, 23% more than the previous year, when Santander received 7 cruises with 7,522 passengers.