Over the next four years, the largest ports in Andalusia are set for a major transformation. A total of €1.3 billion has been allocated for this purpose—an amount that will not only help the region maintain but also strengthen its standing within Spain’s national port system. In 2024, Andalusian ports handled more than 156 million tons of cargo, accounting for nearly a third of the country’s total volume.
This ambitious plan includes seven ports: Algeciras, Almería, Cádiz, Huelva, Málaga, Motril, and Sevilla. Each will receive funding to develop infrastructure, implement new technologies, and raise environmental standards. Special attention will be given to sustainability, increasing capacity, and improving transport connections.
Investment leaders and new projects
Algeciras will receive the largest share of investments—over €500 million. The plan includes not only upgrading port facilities, but also launching projects for quay electrification, developing rail links, and creating new urban spaces along the waterfront. There are also plans to introduce digital solutions and modernize cargo control areas.
Huelva is emerging as a center of energy innovation, with a strong focus on green technologies. The port is making major investments in infrastructure for the production and transport of hydrogen and biofuels. Leading private companies are also pouring hundreds of millions of euros into developing this sector. In Cádiz, the main priority is expanding the container terminal and improving transport links, while Málaga is concentrating on building a new quay for handling bulk cargo.
Impact on the economy and employment
The economic impact of these investments is hard to overstate. The region’s ports provide jobs for over 100,000 people, with the greatest influence seen in Huelva and Algeciras. The modernization is expected to boost these numbers further and open up new opportunities for the region’s logistics and industrial sectors.
Seville, the country’s only inland river port, is betting on the development of multimodal transport and better rail links to the interior of Andalusia. Almería and Motril are also stepping up, modernizing quays, logistics zones, and transport access to strengthen their competitiveness both domestically and internationally.
Development strategy through 2029
The peak of funding is expected in 2027, when investment volumes will reach their highest point. Most of the funds will go toward upgrading infrastructure, as well as environmental projects and improving land access to ports. As the sector transitions to new energy standards and digitalization, Andalusia’s ports aim to become a key logistics hub in southern Europe.
As a result of these transformations, the region will strengthen its position on the international freight map and become even more attractive to investors and major companies.
