Port of Barcelona ramps up potash exports through new terminal

The Tramer terminal built within the framework of the “Phoenix Plan” by ICL Iberia (€77 million investment) and operational from June 2020 continues to steadily increase potash exports. In April, a total of 191,589 tonnes of potash fertilizers were loaded, up 38% compared with March and almost three times above the volume seen in the previous year. The new terminal has substantially improved the cargo capacity (it grew from 800,000 t in the old terminal to almost 4 million annually in the new one) by offering the possibility of loading two Panamax vessels at a time. The permitted vessel draft of 14 m allows handling up to 70k t DWCC ships.

The Tramer terminal has a truck unloading station (capacity of 300 t per hour) and a train unloading station (capacity of 7,500 t per day). The storage area spreads to 37,000 sq m and is divided into salt and potash sectors. Vacuum salt storage facility with a capacity of 130,000 t works at an extraction rate of 1,500 t per hour. Potash storage facility with a capacity of 120,000 t provides an extraction rate of 1,500 t per hour too. Loading is performed with the help of two custom built shiploaders 53 m high, the loading speed reaches 25,000 t per day.

It is worth noting that monthly handling volumes of potash fertilizers at the terminal have surged three times since the beginning of 2022. ISM analysts expect shipments from the Tramer terminal to stay high or even grow further as main potash importers will continue to replenish an absence of Belorussian potash (which has already led to the hike in potash spot prices in recent 5 months).