Shipping Seafood: Spain's Efficient Export Market

Seafood’s importance in many dishes so the market must operate on both a global and a domestic scale. For businesses, transporting chilled and frozen seafood cargo quickly and efficiently ensure maximum freshness internationally and across the country.

 Aquaculture

Also known as ‘aquafarming’, Spain’s aquacultural sector is cornerstone to the country’s domestic and international seafood transport, with reports suggesting around 30 different types of species are cultivated at any one time in the country.

Some of the most popular types of seafood cultivated in aquafarms include mussels, seabass, seabream, and trout. Farmed in both fresh and saltwater conditions, Spain’s rapidly developing aquaculture is vital for ensuring that the global demand for seafood cargo is met.

In 2021 it was found that there were 5,343 aquafarms in Spain, including 5,181 marine farms and 162 freshwater farms. The sector itself employed over 10,000 people that same year, making it a critical part of the country’s economy.

Beyond this, aquaculture also helps with sustainable seafood production. By reducing their reliance on wild fish populations through aquafarming, the demand for seafood can be met while reducing the environmental impact.

Fish Processing

Spain’s fish processing industry, which prepares fish and other raw seafood for human consumption, is Europe’s largest. In 2021 alone there were 580 fish processing facilities in operation, with a turnover of approximately €7.5 billion in the same year.

The fish processing industry is invaluable not only in terms of revenue, but also as part of Spain’s reputation for producing high-quality canned seafood. Including sardines, anchovies, and tuna, these canned products form a key part of many diets worldwide due to their significantly lower price compared to fresh fish. Equally, having a consistent supply of ready to eat seafood also helps to diversify consumer diets year-round.

Imports

Despite their thriving domestic market, Spain also relies heavily on global seafood imports to meet consumer demand. Overall, in 2022 Spain’s total seafood imports amounted to 1.78 million tonnes (€9.1 billion).

Aside from the tuna imported for canning, other key seafood imports for Spain include shrimp and prawns from countries like Ecuador, and squid and octopus from Morocco. There has also been an increase in the number of salmon imports due to the recent rise in consumer popularity. Despite being caught locally, hake is also another type of fish frequently imported into Spain to support domestic requirements.


Beyond ensuring that consumers can enjoy a variance in products and supporting the processing industry, seafood imports are also critical for supporting the market during seasonal fluctuations. During periods when local fisheries face reduced catches due to seasonality or environmental requirements, imported goods can help to stabilize supply and ensure that demand is met.

There are also some additional recommendations to follow when planning your frozen and chilled seafood exports to deliver your cargo in optimum condition. For example:

Utilize appropriate reefer containers (such as 20 ft reefer or 40 ft high cube reefer containers) to ensure your seafood export maintains the correct temperatures throughout transportation.

Ensure your cargo is properly labelled and marked and that you have all the required documentation in place. This can also help you reduce the chance of encountering any potential delays in customs.

Invest in shipping insurance in addition to your original shipping costs. This offers you additional peace of mind in case any problems may occur when shipping your cargo.

When it comes to managing your seafood supply chain, working with a trusted and experienced shipping company like MSC can help you make sure that everything is on track. Whether it’s finding the most efficient route, for example our Short Sea Shipping network, or inland transportation services, or utilizing reefer containers to maintain optimum conditions, ensuring your shipping processes and logistics management systems are in place means you’ll be able to deliver high-quality seafood cargo consistently to customers in Spain and beyond.