Illustration 1. Comparison of the global liner shipping network in 2006 and 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Twenty years later, the picture of 2026<\/strong> shows a very different global landscape, but confirms one key conclusion: Spain’s relative importance not only remains unchanged, but is reinforced. In absolute terms, the country experiences a slight decline<\/strong>. The number of direct partners falls from 102<\/strong> to 97<\/strong>. Between 2006 and 2026, the global maritime network enters a phase of structural contraction<\/strong>: the average number of partners per country falls from 28 to 25 and the median falls from 22 to 17. Routes are refined and most countries lose connections, operators, or both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2026, Spain<\/strong> ranks first in the world in direct connectivity<\/strong>, with no other country having more direct connections. Even with a reduction in the indicator of shipping companies per link (from 11.9 to 9.8), Spain remains well above the global average, remaining one of the most intensively served hubs<\/strong> on the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seen in perspective, the history of Spain<\/strong> between 2006 and 2026 is that of a persistent super hub<\/strong> in a shrinking system. While the global network is becoming thinner and less dense, Spain’s structural footprint remains almost intact. Where most countries are losing links, Spain<\/strong> is maintaining most of its own; where others are drastically reducing the presence of shipping companies, Spain continues to concentrate international connections<\/strong>. This structural resilience explains why, despite small absolute losses, Spain<\/strong> emerges in 2026 as the most connected country<\/strong> in the world in terms of direct links<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Network maps<\/strong> visually reinforce this narrative. In 2006, Spain<\/strong> already appears as a large red node<\/strong>, intensely connected, located at the heart of a dense global mesh. In 2026, although large areas of the global network are refined and lose links, Spain<\/strong> remains a clearly recognizable center of gravity<\/strong>. Its mass of connections appears almost unchanged in the face of a reduced environment, underscoring how internal numerical declines are largely offset by much larger declines in other countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pharos390.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Captura-de-pantalla-2026-03-11-160012-1024x503.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/pharos390.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/LSCI-Spanish-ports-1-1024x524.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n