The Port Authority of Las Palmas has published statistics for August 2025, which reflect sustained growth in freight traffic and a recovery in passenger traffic for the year to date.
In total, the ports comprising the Port Authority (Las Palmas, Arrecife, Puerto del Rosario, Salinetas, and Arinaga) handled 24,497,597 tons of cargo between January and August, representing a 16.65% increase compared to the same period in 2024, or 3,497,503 tons more.
Passenger traffic also remains positive, increasing by 8.57% to 2,291,908 passengers so far this year, driven primarily by a 23.1% increase in cruises.
Cruise tourism continues to be one of the drivers of growth, adding more than 1.19 million passengers so far this year. In the cargo sector, containers experienced a 13.7% increase, surpassing one million TEUs, the unit equivalent to a 20-foot container, while general containerized cargo grew by 11.4%, reaching more than 11 million tons. Also notable is the upswing in Ro-Ro traffic, vehicles and roll-on/roll-off cargo shipped by their own means, with growth of 14.1% in tons and 4% in units.
The president of the Port Authority of Las Palmas, Beatriz Calzada, positively assessed these results, emphasizing that “the data confirms that the Ports of Las Palmas are maintaining robust and sustained growth, consolidating their role as an international logistics hub and a benchmark for cruise traffic in the Atlantic.”
Calzada added that the diversity of traffic at the ports of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura “allows us to maintain a stable upward trend, even in a complex international context, which demonstrates the resilience of our port system.”
Statistical data for August for the five ports of the Port Authority of Las Palmas
The year-on-year comparison between August 2025 and the same month in 2024 confirms the positive trend in most indicators. Passenger traffic grew by 8.57%, with 2,291,908 passengers compared to 2,110,950 the previous year. Within this segment, scheduled lines decreased by 4.15%, while cruise tourism experienced a notable rebound of 23.11%.
In terms of merchandise, growth reached 18.17%, with 22,510,536 tons moved compared to 19,048,597 in 2024. By type, frozen fish fell 6.83%, from 192,016 to 178,892 tons, and fresh fish fell 7.13%, from 589 to 547 tons. In contrast, fuel traffic registered a slight increase of 1.14%, reaching 1,798,288 tons.
Containers also reinforced the port system’s strong performance, with a 13.72% increase to a total of 1,019,591 TEUs, compared to the 896,548 units recorded in 2024. General containerized cargo grew by 11.41%, reaching 11,061,339 tons. Finally, Ro-Ro traffic increased both in units, up 4% from 243,705 to 253,453, and in tons, up 14.18% from 3,361,542 to 3,838,200.
In terms of port breakdown, the Port of Las Palmas continues to be the main driver of the system, with a 17.7% increase and more than 21.4 million tons handled through August. Passenger traffic exceeded 1.55 million, with a notable 20.9% increase in cruise ships.
In Lanzarote, the Port of Arrecife maintains its strength with a 10.74% increase in total traffic to 1.33 million tons. Passenger traffic reached 400,669, of which more than 351,000 were cruise passengers, reinforcing its position as a leading tourist and logistics destination.
For its part, Fuerteventura stands out with the Port of Puerto del Rosario, which recorded an 18.48% growth and more than 1.11 million tons handled through August. In the tourism sector, it welcomed 310,757 passengers, representing a 27% increase, with cruise ships playing a significant role, with their 38.9% increase consolidating their importance in the island’s economy.
In Gran Canaria, the Port of Arinaga experienced a 3.55% increase in cargo throughput, reaching 172,386 tons, reinforcing its role as an industrial port complementary to that of the capital. It also increased its vessel traffic, consolidating its position as a key hub for the island’s energy and industrial activity.
Finally, the Port of Salinetas handled 397,590 tons, representing a 9.48% decrease. Despite this temporary decline, it maintains its importance as a port specializing in the supply and storage of fuel for the Archipelago.
Statistical data for August for the Port of Las Palmas
Regarding the Port of Las Palmas, the year-on-year variation for August 2025-2024 reflects the following results: passenger traffic increased by 4.31%, with a total of 1,554,690 travelers. Within this segment, scheduled lines decreased by 3.30%, while cruise tourism experienced a sharp increase of 20.93%.
Merchandise traffic grew by 19.59%, reaching 19,524,485 tons. Frozen fish traffic decreased by 5.60% to 175,291 tons, while fresh fish traffic remained stable at 17 tons. Fuel traffic increased by 1.18% to 1,792,269 tons. Container traffic totaled 942,976 TEUs, representing an increase of 14.46%, and general containerized cargo increased by 11.80% to 10,458,112 tons. Finally, Ro-Ro traffic increased by 1.87% in units, with 167,160 registered, and by 11.31% in tons, for a total of 2,594,475.
With these results, the Port Authority of Las Palmas reaffirms its strategic position in the Mid-Atlantic and maintains a trajectory of sustained growth in 2025, consolidating its role as a key logistics, industrial, and tourism platform for the Canary Islands and the Spanish port system.
