The president of the Port Authority of Santander (APS), César Díaz, stated this morning, during the inauguration of the urbanization of the curvilinear triangle, that this action allows the port to incorporate 45,000 new square meters, adjacent to the Actimarsa Industrial Park, to meet "the growth of road traffic and new logistical demands associated with this type of merchandise."
Díaz, who was accompanied by the Minister of Industry, Employment, Innovation and Trade, Eduardo Arasti, and the Government Delegate in Cantabria, Pedro Casares, explained that the new area, with capacity for more than 1,800 vehicles, "improves the internal organization of the Raos Sur area, increases the available surface for vehicle operations, and strengthens the efficiency and safety of port movements."
The expansion work of the marshalling yard has come into service "urgently" today after the second phase of the works, which began in January of this year with a budget of 4.7 million euros, was completed ahead of schedule.
Added to the first phase of the project, developed between 2019 and early 2020 and temporarily halted by a judicial process initiated by Ecologistas en Acción (Ecologists in Action) which was resolved in favor of the port administration, the investment, made by the Port Authority itself, has amounted to 6.2 million euros.
"Thanks to the resources we generate as an administration, we have an Investment Plan of 270 million euros for the period 2025-2029. Currently, we are executing 80 million euros in important works such as the vertical car silo, Raos 6, Raos 8, or the urban access to the port," Díaz assured.
"The work we are putting into service today, which also forms part of that investment effort, contributes to consolidating one of the greatest strengths of the Port of Santander: road traffic," he stated.
The Port of Santander is a leader in this type of traffic within the Cantabrian facade, being the first port in terms of tons of Ro-Ro cargo, Intermodal Transport Units, and rail-port intermodality share.
In this context, the highest representative of the APS emphasized the need to accelerate the process of creating a railway highway between the Port of Santander and Madrid, via Palencia and Valladolid, with the aim of strengthening its competitiveness, expanding its area of influence, and consolidating a sustainable model for long-distance freight mobility.
"In March, we submitted the documentation required by ADIF, with the support of railway operators and shippers, and we are waiting for the railway administrator to inform us of the next steps," he pointed out.
"This infrastructure also gives us the opportunity to configure a solvent, solid, and competitive logistics chain between the peninsular center and the United Kingdom and northern Europe, thanks to our Short Sea Shipping maritime connections," he added.
For Díaz, the objective is "to continue offering companies in our hinterland opportunities to access international markets with competitive costs, thus contributing to the economic and social progress of Cantabria." Currently, port activity generates 14% of the GDP and 11% of employment in Cantabria.
