Barcelona relies on the new standard track gauge of Can Tunis to capture Asian flows.

The port of Barcelona is preparing for the expansion of the standard or international gauge (UIC) in the logistics center of Can Tunis, with the aim of strengthening the rail connectivity of Asian imports with the rest of Europe. The arrival of six new standard track gauge, which will be combined with the existing ones, will make it possible to maximize the distribution capacity of maritime imports to the north and center of Europe, as well as attract production from these regions to the port.

The port entity highlights that this improvement in rail traffic will favor an optimal balance between imports and exports, consolidating the position of the port of Barcelona as an important hub for the flow of goods between Europe and China.

The goal of the port of Barcelona was presented during the Automotive Logistics conference in Yantai, China. Port entity representatives attended the event to promote the port’s role in distributing Chinese-made vehicles to Europe. According to the port’s statistics, Chinese vehicle imports saw a 165% increase between January and May this year compared to last year, reaching a total of 114,734 vehicles. In general terms, vehicle imports have grown by 76% during the same period. The port of Barcelona has been receiving multipurpose vessels from Cosco, using special structures called ‘flat rack’ to transport the vehicles due to the shortage of vehicle carriers in the international market.