The Port of Bilbao Authority has closed 2025 as a strategic year marked by major progress in connectivity, decarbonisation, infrastructure and digital transformation, despite a 6.8% drop in traffic mainly linked to the temporary shutdown of the Petronor refinery.
Total throughput reached just over 32 million tonnes, with second-half traffic rising 1.5% year-on-year. Growth in trade with the United States, Brazil, Senegal, the Netherlands and China, alongside new container services to Canada and the west coast of South America, strengthened Bilbao’s international position.
The port maintained its leadership in rail freight within the Spanish port system, with 26% of containers transported by train and 3,800 rail movements recorded during the year. Passenger traffic hit a fourth consecutive record, with 337,562 cruise and ferry passengers.
Financially, turnover rose slightly to €77 million, with EBITDA reaching €35.2 million. Strong liquidity allows the Port Authority to freeze port fees once again and significantly increase investment from €35.7 million in 2025 to €110.9 million in 2026.
Key projects include the second phase of the central breakwater, expansion of onshore power supply (OPS) infrastructure, photovoltaic installations, new Customs facilities, and the rollout of the Energy Transition and Digital Transformation Plans. The first phase of dock electrification will become operational in the second quarter of 2026, reinforcing Bilbao’s commitment to sustainability and competitiveness.
