The Port of Cartegena
Letter from Spain: Hydrocarbons are the present and future of tank storage
Scepticism towards the energy transition reigns in the tank storage industry
Cartagena is the fourth-largest port in Spain by weight of goods handled, with around 36mt/yr in 2022. But it specialises in liquid bulk, with more of the stuff moving through the port than anywhere else in Spain. Three-quarters of the cargo handled at the port is liquid bulk. Hence the port serving as the backdrop for the Petrochemicals Global Logistics Convention, where operators and contractors in tank storage meet to do business and discuss the state of the industry. The conclusion this year is that times are good but uncertain. The geopolitical environment has changed significantly over the last two years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has led to more goods being moved by
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution
