Both the Acciona and Baleária shipping companies are reporting greatly increased business as a consequence of higher demand, in particular from the construction industry. Between January and October, there was a 7% increase in freight traffic, this having risen to 13.2 million tons compared with the ten months of last year. The number of containers, meanwhile, increased by almost 50% to 9,515. In Palma this meant a rise of more than 40% to 7,812, while Alcudia’s growth was by a staggering 474%, albeit this related to 298 containers.
The shipping lines have expressed some surprise at such a sharp rise, given that movement of solids is normally by truck rather than container. However, the Balearic association for constructors had announced in October that investment in the sector had doubled over the past year in all the islands. The association had noted that between January and July alone the level of investment in new building and property renovation and re-development had gone up from 220 million euros to 455 million. The shipping companies anticipate several more months of positive business because of the demand for all types of material by different industrial sectors on the islands.
The construction industry, for its part, is looking forward to needing ever more freight in order to satisfy the demand generated by projects on all four of the Balearic Islands. An earlier start to the tourism season next year, put at the second half of February in some instances, is expected to add to even heavier demand and so freight supply to the five state ports, i.e. Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza and La Savina.
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