5 November 2026
- The president of the Port Authority of Almería, Rosario Soto, presents the opening of the Port of Almería and its compatibility with industrial activity at the international congress held by the AIVP in France
The president of the Port Authority of Almería (APA), Rosario Soto, has internationally showcased Almería through its port-city integration and its coexistence with industrial development. Soto spoke this Wednesday at the 2026 World Ports and Cities Conference, organized by the International Association of Ports and Cities (AIVP), held in Dunkirk with the participation of 400 delegations representing 50 countries. The meeting, which was preceded on Tuesday by the AIVP general assembly, also attended by the APA as a member, is titled 'Cities and ports in motion: it's time to act!' and brings together international experts and key players in port and urban development to exchange ideas and establish synergies on the challenges and opportunities of future port cities.
Soto spoke in the session 'New approaches in city-port planning: current projects and strategies for the future', alongside Deborah Onga, Executive Commercial Director of PNG Ports (Papua New Guinea); Sophie Minssart, Real Estate Project Manager of Grand Port Maritime de Nantes Saint-Nazaire (France); and Kristina Salomaa, Land Use Director of Port of Helsinki Ltd (Finland); in a session moderated by Francesca Pintus, Associate Director of the renowned architecture, engineering, and urban planning firm One Works, based in Italy.
Soto presented the opening of the Port of Almería to the city through two hectares and the recovery of historical port heritage for public enjoyment in the eastern area, with an investment of 11 million euros; a project that will continue in the coming weeks with the award of the main phase of urban integration, which covers four more hectares and represents an investment of approximately 25 million euros, co-financed by the Junta de Andalucía, and a two-year execution period.
In addition, the president detailed that the port's opening extends along the entire port front; in the western area, the APA has rehabilitated and made available to citizens the Varadero building and has eliminated architectural barriers, and in 2027, they will continue with the execution of a new facade for the maritime station and annexed buildings, also making them more energy-efficient; also adapting the entrance to these properties, making them more accessible and promoting pedestrian communication between the port and the city. In total, with the projects executed and under development, the Port Authority will have invested more than 45 million euros in port-city integration between 2023 and 2029.
In her speech, Soto also focused on the compatibility and coexistence of the port's opening and industrial activity, addressing the different land uses of public port domain and the Port Authority of Almería's Sustainability Plan, with strategic lines and objectives that include minimizing environmental impact, resilient infrastructure, and job creation.
In this regard, to boost port activity, the APA has executed direct access from the N-340 and the reorganization of internal roads, with an investment of 3 million euros, and will award in the coming days the expansion of the Pechina Dock in the Port of Almería, with a planned investment of 30 million euros, co-financed with 6 million euros from European funds of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2021-2027, in order to promote an efficient and sustainable trans-European transport network. This action, whose work begins in January with a two-year execution period, consists of extending the berthing line by 260 meters, reaching a draft of 18 meters, and gaining 4.4 hectares of surface area.
The improvement of land connectivity, the increase in surface area, and the berthing line have favored, as detailed, the attraction of metal industry and auxiliary agricultural industry that will be established in the Port of Almería, with the corresponding increase in port traffic through the export of general cargo, as well as solid bulk by meeting the increased demand for gypsum, a mineral that positions the APA as a leader in the national port system for solid bulk exports; this will also result in job creation and revenue that will allow progress in port-city integration.
Regarding passenger traffic, fundamental for the Port of Almería, which handles one million travelers annually, being the second port in the national system for Operation Strait Crossing, Soto added that the port facility will have a new passenger service area by 2028, with commercial space and restaurants, after having granted an administrative concession this summer.
