• 3 min de lectura
• 3 min de lectura
The President of the Port Authority of Santander (APS), César Díaz, and the Regional Minister of Public Works, Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment of the Government of Cantabria, Roberto Media, welcomed the European Coordinator for the Atlantic Corridor, François Bausch, and the Coordinator for the European Maritime Space, Gessine Meissner, to the Port of Santander. The objective was for them to learn firsthand about the Cantabrian infrastructure and the projects the Port Authority is developing to improve the port's position as a strategic European hub.
The Port of Santander, integrated into the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), is one of the nine strategic facilities of the Atlantic Corridor in Spain that connects the sea with major European rail and road networks, thereby boosting logistical competitiveness and territorial cohesion among EU countries.
During the meeting, which took place within the framework of a visit by high-ranking European officials to the Ports of the Atlantic facade's core network, organized by the Office of the Atlantic Corridor Commissioner, Díaz was able to present the main actions planned in the port administration's investment plan to "improve the capacity and efficiency of our Port, providing it with more and better infrastructures that guarantee the objectives of rail-port intermodality, decarbonization, and territorial structuring, in line with the objectives pursued by the European Union."
Thus, among the main actions planned in the APS 2025-2029 investment plan, the institution's president referred to the construction of Raos 6 dock, the electrification of the docks, new railway developments, and the expansion of the car silo. All of these projects are "fundamental" to "strengthen our role as an international logistics platform."
Díaz asked Bausch that, when designing the work plan to guide future Corridor investments, he take into account the high degree of execution of works financed in the Port by the European Union, which, with one hundred percent completion, makes them "leaders in the national network of ports." "Undoubtedly, Santander is a reliable port, and we have shown that we fulfill our commitments," he added.
The APS president also referred to the effort the Port is making to promote a rail motorway between Santander and Madrid "to strengthen our competitiveness, expand our area of influence, and consolidate a sustainable model for freight mobility."
The project, which has already been presented to ADIF, also has the backing of a significant number of railway operators and shippers interested in the commissioning of this infrastructure.
"Santander has very relevant strengths that alone justify this rail motorway," Díaz emphasized. "We are leaders in the movement of ro-ro cargo, the number of intermodal transport units, and the rate of rail-port intermodality within the Spanish northern facade, in addition to having regular maritime connections for ro-ro traffic with the United Kingdom and northern Europe and a container terminal, which is among the top ten in the Spanish Port System by traffic volume."
"This is the missing piece for us to create a true green corridor for freight transport between the Spanish peninsular center, the United Kingdom, and northern Europe. An initiative that also has the support of the British embassy," he concluded.
