project44 Analyzes Severe Weather in Spain with Respect to Transportation

In the week of October 28, the storm system DANA (Depresión Aislada en Niveles Altos) swept across eastern Spain, leading to extreme rainfall and strong winds in regions such as Catalonia, Valencia, and Andalusia. DANA storms are known as a “Cold Drop” phenomenon. In this phenomenon, large amounts of cold air collide with warm, moist Mediterranean air, resulting in heavy rainfall and flash floods.

(Munich/Valencia) This DANA event has resulted in precipitation exceeding 50 centimeters. This caused rivers to overflow and led to widespread flooding in urban and low-lying areas. Overall, the weather phenomenon has had serious impacts on transportation and infrastructure in the affected regions.

The DANA storms have significantly disrupted the Spanish supply chain. In particular, the major ports of Barcelona, Valencia, and Algeciras have been affected. These ports are important hubs for European and global trade. They have temporarily suspended operations to assess the damage and ensure safety. This has delayed the processing of containers for imports, exports, and transshipments. Furthermore, road closures and flooded routes hinder truck and inland transport, thereby affecting freight traffic to and from these ports. The timing of these disruptions coincides directly with the peak shipping season, presenting additional challenges for manufacturers and retailers who rely on timely goods transportation in Europe.

Affected Ports

The east coast of Spain, particularly key shipping points, has been significantly impacted:

Barcelona: Although Barcelona was not directly affected by the heavy rainfall, strong winds and flooding in surrounding areas have caused delays in imports and exports.

Valencia: Due to severe flooding and strong winds, operations at the Port of Valencia have been temporarily suspended. Access routes for safe cargo processing are being assessed and cleared.

Algeciras: Although the port is less directly affected, it reported delays in scheduled arrivals and departures due to rough seas and diverted traffic from other regions.

Initial data shows that the dwell time of containers for imports, exports, and transshipments at these ports has been impacted.

Figure 1 shows the average dwell time for transshipment containers. Notably, in Barcelona, there was a sharp increase in dwell time on November 2, reaching up to 20 days – an increase of two weeks. These figures are likely to continue fluctuating as shipping schedules are adjusted and ports resume full operations.

As Figure 2 shows, dwell times for exports have increased in all three ports. This is due to delays in containers leaving Spain. While these may also include freight from the end of the peak season in maritime transport, it is likely that they do not primarily consist of inventory needed by retailers for the upcoming Christmas season.

The dwell time for imports (Figure 3) appears to be most affected by the storms, as no import containers were processed on several days. In Barcelona, the dwell time for import containers has increased the most so far. The numbers could rise further as port operations remain restricted. The import containers likely include goods intended for the Christmas shopping season. Retailers and ports must prioritize urgent containers to ensure they reach the shelves on time.

Impact on Truck Load and Inland Transport

Flooding and infrastructure damage have affected land transport:

Barcelona and Valencia: Major inland routes are closed or delayed due to local flooding. Further delays are expected as cleanup and repair efforts progress.

Algeciras: Access to land transport remains largely open. However, there may be traffic jams as many shipments are diverted.

Summary

The DANA storms have caused significant disruptions to supply chains in Spain. Key impacts include the standstill of shipping traffic near the ports of Barcelona, Valencia, and Algeciras, longer dwell times for containers, and delays in inland transport due to flooded routes. These challenges arise during the peak of maritime freight and put additional pressure on retailers and manufacturers who depend on container deliveries. The full impact of DANA on logistics will only become apparent as the recovery efforts progress.

Title image: © Port of Valencia
Graphics: © project44