Canary Islands Ports Report Robust Growth in 2025
The Port Authority of Las Palmas has released its statistics for September 2025, confirming a strong upward trend across the provincial port system’s main traffic sectors. From January to September, the five ports under its management—Las Palmas, Arrecife, Puerto del Rosario, Arinaga, and Salinetas—handled a total of 27,781,929 tonnes of cargo. This represents a significant 17.9% increase compared to the same period last year, adding an extra 4,217,295 tonnes.
Key Drivers of Growth
The positive performance is driven by several key areas. Total merchandise saw a substantial 19.57% rise, reaching 25,578,968 tonnes. Container movement remained strong, growing by 16.18% to 1,158,731 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). The cruise sector also provided a major boost, with passenger numbers surging 18.33% to 1,236,092. This collective strength reinforces the Port Authority of Las Palmas’s evolution and solidifies its role as a leading logistical and tourist hub in the Mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, bunkering (ship refueling) maintained a path of moderate growth, advancing 0.65% with a total of 1,994,625 tonnes supplied.
Leadership Perspective on the Results
Beatriz Calzada, President of the Port Authority of Las Palmas, positively assessed these results. “The September data confirms robust growth in goods, containers, and cruises,” she stated. “The strength of transit and the diversification of traffic allow us to gain competitiveness, attract new stops, and consolidate our ports as a logistical and tourist hub.” She added, “In bunkering, we continue on a path of sustained and orderly progress, consistent with a safe, efficient, and competitive service provision.”
Detailed Traffic Breakdown
In the passenger sector, the Authority’s ports accumulated 2,455,650 travelers by September, a 5.41% increase year-on-year. This growth is primarily supported by cruise tourism. Total traffic registered an increase of nearly 18%, driven by both foreign trade—which saw over 15,603,074 tonnes and a growth of 27.84%—and national cabotage (coastal shipping), which reached 9,975,894 tonnes, an 8.60% increase.
General merchandise reached 17,115,244 tonnes, growing by 16.21%. This includes increases in both conventional cargo, which rose 23.79% to 4,533,899 tonnes, and containerized cargo, which grew 13.71% to over 12,581,347 tonnes. Bulk cargo also reflected solid performance, with 8,463,723 tonnes representing a 27% increase, notably driven by the dynamism of liquid bulk, which rose by 27.35%.
Ro-Ro traffic (roll-on/roll-off for vehicles and self-propelled cargo) further reinforced the upward trend. It saw a 5.02% increase in units, totaling 285,410, and a notable 14.70% growth in tonnes, reaching 4,320,948.
Port-by-Port Performance
The Port of Las Palmas maintains its position as the main engine of growth, handling 24,199,218 tonnes—an 18.28% increase. It is followed by the Port of Arrecife (Lanzarote), with 1,664,422 tonnes and a 22.09% rise, and the Port of Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura), which registered 1,269,628 tonnes, up 19.69%. The Port of Arinaga (Gran Canaria) grew by 12.42% to 199,347 tonnes, while Salinetas (Gran Canaria) closed the period with 449,314 tonnes, reflecting a decrease of 10.95%.
Las Palmas Port: A Closer Look
A year-on-year comparison for the Port of Las Palmas itself shows positive performance across nearly all indicators from January to September 2025. Passenger traffic grew by 1.49%, propelled by strong cruise tourism, which was up 15.54%. Total traffic movement reached 22,028,635 tonnes, a 20.28% increase. Container traffic maintained its strength with 1,072,946 TEUs, 17.11% more than the previous year. Containerized merchandise rose to 11,905,502 tonnes, a 14.25% increase, cementing the port’s status as an essential node in international maritime traffic. Bunkering also trended upwards, with a 0.68% increase and 1,987,878 tonnes supplied. Ro-Ro traffic also evolved favorably, confirming the diversification and stability of the different traffic types operating in the capital’s port.
September’s Standout Results
The month of September showed particularly significant advances. The movement of goods increased by 31%, representing 3,069,211 tonnes. Container traffic surged by 36.68% to 137,815 TEUs. This was driven by a 43.47% growth in goods transit and increased loading and unloading operations.
Strategic Position Reinforced
With these results, the Port Authority of Las Palmas reaffirms its strategic position in the Mid-Atlantic. It maintains a trajectory of sustained growth in 2025, supported by traffic diversification, strong international transit, and dynamic cruise tourism, while bunkering consolidates a gradual and solid advance aligned with the evolution of global maritime activity.
