By Vincent Wen    Photo：CANVA

Main Industries in Spain:

Tourism: Spain boasts abundant tourism resources, including 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites (ranking 3rd globally), tax-free shopping, and unique cuisine. It holds the top spot globally in tourism competitiveness.

Automotive Industry: The automotive sector is one of Spain’s key industries. In 2018, Spain was the second-largest car producer in the EU and ranked ninth globally.

Renewable Energy: Spain has rapidly advanced in environmental and renewable energy development. It is the world’s second-largest and Europe’s largest producer of solar thermal power, the third-largest in solar photovoltaic energy, and the fourth in wind energy.

Industry: Spain is the EU’s third-largest producer of machine tools and automobile engines, maintaining a leading position in machinery manufacturing, technological transformation, and integration. It also plays a significant role in aerospace and packaging machinery manufacturing.

Agriculture: As the EU’s largest exporter of fruits and vegetables, Spain is known as the “vegetable basket and orchard of Europe” and ranks as the world’s third-largest agricultural exporter. Its main crops include grapes, olives, and citrus. Spain leads the world in olive oil production and vineyard area, accounting for 50% of global olive oil exports. Livestock mainly includes pigs and cattle; pork and lamb production ranks second in the EU.

Aerospace: Spain’s aerospace industry is highly developed and specialized, leading globally in the manufacturing and maintenance of composite materials, small aircraft, gas turbine engines, and flight simulators.

Popular Chinese Exports to Spain: Mechanical and electrical products, telecommunication equipment, textiles and raw materials, furniture, toys and miscellaneous goods, base metals and products, and chemical products. Compared to other European countries, Spanish buyers have a preference for Chinese small commodities, textiles, and footwear.

Major Seaports:

Barcelona: Spain’s largest comprehensive port and one of the top ten container ports on the Mediterranean coast.

Algeciras: Located in southern Spain, it is the country’s second-largest port and the leading container and crude oil import port. It is the busiest port on the Mediterranean and the sixth busiest in Europe, ranking 33rd globally.

Valencia: Located in southeastern Spain, it is the second-largest container port in the country and fifth in Europe.

Bilbao: Located at the mouth of the Bilbao River, known as the outer or super port.

Cartagena: Situated on the southeastern coast, primarily focused on crude oil imports.

Las Palmas: One of the oldest ports in the Canary Islands, known as the Atlantic’s main refueling station.

Sevilla: Spain’s only inland port. It serves as a fully multimodal hub for sea, rail, and road connections and offers large-scale logistics and industrial operations.

Thanks to Spain’s strategic location, major shipping companies generally offer direct routes to Barcelona. For instance, shipments from Shanghai to Barcelona typically take around 30 days.

Airports:

Madrid (MAD)

Barcelona (BCN)

Valencia (VLC)

Malaga (AGP)

Bilbao (BIO)

Zaragoza (ZAZ)

There are six major airports. Airfreight can be shipped directly to MAD, while other locations mainly rely on transshipment via China’s three major airlines (Air China - CA, China Southern - CZ, and China Eastern - MU).

Customs & Logistics:

Overall, Spain is a significant market. Customs clearance is straightforward, requiring only a Packing List, Commercial Invoice, and Bill of Lading. A Certificate of Origin is optional. However, it is essential to accurately report the number of packages and ensure packaging reflects the smallest visible unit upon container opening. All declared quantities must match the actual container contents.

Spanish customs require that all shipments to Valencia and Barcelona submit a Commercial Invoice and HS codes before vessel arrival. Failure to do so may result in the container being held at the port, unable to be unloaded.

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