Vicente Boluda is climbing the ranks among Spain's wealthiest individuals thanks to his shipping business

Vicente Boluda Fos, named “Mariner of the Year 2025” by Nautik Magazine, has solidified his position among Spain’s wealthiest individuals, driven by the international expansion of his maritime business. The president of Boluda Corporación Marítima ranks 32nd on the list of the 100 Richest Spaniards of 2026, with an estimated net worth of 1.6 billion euros, representing an increase of 500 million euros compared to the previous year.

As the leader of one of the world’s largest port tugboat groups, Boluda has strengthened its position in the sector through new strategic moves. In 2025, the shipping company MSC increased its stake in the company by contributing its MedTug division, a move that solidified the group’s international presence.

Boluda’s career is closely linked to the development of Spain’s maritime industry. The company traces its origins back to 1837, with the establishment of Naviera Fos, although its port towage operations began in 1920, when Vicente Boluda Marí founded a tugboat company in the port of Valencia. Decades later, in 1982, Vicente Boluda Fos took the helm of the business and pursued a strategy of internationalisation and diversification that transformed the family-owned company into a global maritime group.

Boluda Corporación Marítima structures its operations around two main divisions

Boluda Towage specialises in port, coastal and ocean towage, as well as salvage and maritime assistance operations. Its fleet comprises more than 400 vessels and provides services in over 100 ports across 18 countries and four continents. Its tugboats play an essential role in the manoeuvring of large vessels entering and leaving ports, from container ships to oil tankers and cruise ships.

Meanwhile, Boluda Shipping operates in maritime and land transport, as well as port logistics. Its activities include freight transportation, terminal management, ship agency services and logistics operations, with a focus on connecting maritime traffic with land and rail distribution networks.

International expansion has recently reached a new milestone in Northern Europe. In July 2026, the group inaugurated its new regional headquarters in Rotterdam, from where it coordinates the operations of Boluda Towage and Boluda Shipping in one of the world’s leading port regions. The opening further strengthens a presence that the company has been building over the past decade.

Furthermore, on 28 October, Boluda Shipping announced an agreement to acquire the entirety of Dutch-Icelandic shipping company Samskip. The transaction, scheduled to close on 1 January 2027 and subject to the relevant regulatory approvals, will strengthen its position in the European short-sea shipping market. The future combined network will comprise 32 vessels, 18 routes, 21 maritime terminals and five rail terminals, as well as more than 500 company-owned trucks, connecting 28 countries.

Beyond its business activities, Boluda maintains a prominent institutional presence in the economic and maritime sectors. He has served as president of the Spanish Shipowners’ Association (ANAVE) and the Valencian Association of Entrepreneurs (AVE), among other positions within the business community. Named Mariner of the Year 2025 by Nautik Magazine, the growth of his personal wealth reflects the expansion of a group that has turned port towage and maritime services into one of the major drivers of Spain’s blue economy.

The Valencian businessman, recognised as Mariner of the Year 2025 by Nautik Magazine, has thus recorded one of the most significant advances in this year’s ranking: climbing from 46th to 32nd place in just one year. A rise that reflects the growing importance of the blue economy and, in particular, maritime and port services within Spain’s business landscape.