The Port Authority of Valencia highlights the regular connections with European countries, especially the motorways of the sea with the north and south of Italy, according to the company's release.
Valenciaport handled a total of 11,223,574 tonnes of ro-ro traffic in 2020, making it the most dynamic Spanish port for this type of goods according to data published by Puertos del Estado. Specifically, the port of Valencia has mobilised 20% of the total of goods using the motorways of the sea of the Spanish port system, in a particularly complicated year due to the Covid-19 health crisis.
In 2020, 56.60 million tonnes of ro-ro traffic passed through the Spanish ports, representing a decrease of 13.94% on the previous year. Valenciaport, as the leading logistics centre for this type of traffic in the port system, handled 11.2 million tonnes, 10.79% less than in 2019. In second position is the port of the Balearic Islands with 10.71 million tonnes (-21.47%), while Barcelona with 9.25 million tonnes and in decline of 19.9% is in third position, closely followed by the port of Algeciras which in 2020 ro-ro traffic was 9.12 million tonnes representing 0.92% more than in 2019.
In the case of Valenciaport, road traffic has the singularity of being without passengers and with more than 200,000 platforms transported between the ports of Valencia and Sagunto. In addition to automobiles, goods such as oil, wine, packaged food products, machinery and refrigerated products are also moved.
Road traffic is the trade of goods by ship that is loaded and unloaded with its own wheels and without the need for cranes, such as lorries or any other type of motor vehicle. This transport uses the Motorways of the Sea, an initiative promoted by the European Union, to promote the integration of maritime and road transport modes through sea connections between different countries and regions. This multimodal transport by the motorways of the sea results in lower costs, reduced times and contributes to the preservation of the environment in a more efficient way.
The Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) has highlighted its leading role in container traffic and ro-ro services, which have made it a reference point in Spain for regular connections with Mediterranean, North Sea and Baltic countries, especially the motorways of the sea linking the ports of Valencia and Sagunto with the ports of northern and southern Italy.
Furthermore, it is worth highlighting, in this line, the commitment of the port of Valencia, and the shipping companies that operate ro-ro traffic, to improve services and opt for more eco-efficient ships in the common objective of decarbonisation and reduction of environmental impact. This is the case of the Eco Valencia, the first hybrid vessel of the Grimaldi company which guarantees zero emissions in port and which covers this route, and the largest ro-ro unit in the world dedicated to short sea shipping which can transport 7,800 metres, equivalent to some 500 trailers.