SIMIC

But the total number of containers moved by the port continued to show a negative trend, recording 458,139 TEU, 7.13 per cent less than in June 2021, due especially to the drop in full containers dedicated to transit which has fallen by 17.7 per cent, reports Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide.

As for empty containers, the overall figure reflects a decrease of 4.56 per cent. There was also a drop in the total of amount of goods handled by the port - 7.25 per cent less than in June of the previous year.

"The global uncertainty generated by the war in Ukraine, the rise in fuel prices, the high prices of raw materials and inflation are weighing on activity," the port said.

Between January and June this year, Valencia port handled a total of 41,641,585 tonnes of cargo, 2.37 per cent less than the same period in 2021. Containerised cargo fell by 7.55 per cent, while liquid bulk cargo grew by 73.21 per cent, solid bulk cargo down by 3.1 per cent and non-containerised cargo increased by 5.41 per cent.

The port said it hoped that last month's volume increase will continue following the easing of port congestion in China and on the US west coast, which have considerably reduced congestion in ports such as Shanghai, Ningbo and Los Angeles.

In the first six months of the year, the port's ro-ro traffic (goods moved on ships carrying roll-on/roll-off cargo such as lorries or vehicles), grew by 3.86 per cent to a total of 6.6 million tonnes. The port handled a total of 2.6 million TEU in the first six months of 2022, representing a decrease of 6.46 per cent.