​The President of Puertos del Estado meets with Carlier, Luezas and Tejo

De la Encina and SPC Spain are analyzing measures to promote short sea shipping and motorways of the sea

• They have agreed to simplify customs procedures and at-border cargo inspection services
  
   

23 April 2019 (Ministry of Public Works). The president of Puertos del Estado (Spain's State-owned Ports entity), Salvador de la Encina, held a productive meeting with a delegation from the Spanish Association for the Promotion of Short Sea Shipping (SPC-Spain). At this meeting, they dealt with several topics, above all the potential measures for promoting short sea shipping and motorways of the sea.

SPC-Spain was represented by its President, Manuel Carlier, its Vice President, Jaime Luezas, and its Technical Director, Pilar Tejo. Puertos del Estado's Director of Planning and Development, Álvaro Rodríguez, also took part in the meeting.

They reviewed the association's proposals, especially those involving the simplification and streamlining of customs procedures and at-border cargo inspection services in order to promote the important potential in short sea shipping development in their relations with North Africa.

Moreover, in order to promote a global reduction of CO2 emissions, Puertos del Estado is leading the MedAtlantic Ecobonus project along with France, Italy and Portugal, in accordance with the proposals by SPC-Spain. De la Encina reiterated his commitment and that of the Ministry to create an incentive by allocating funds to do so.

Likewise, in the planned process for the gradual introduction of measures to improve flexibility and efficiency in stevedoring through collective bargaining, SPC-Spain has requested their application to short sea shipping services be prioritized.

The association reminded everyone that the MEPC 74 meeting is to be held at the IMO from May 13 through 17, where they will begin to design the short-term measures for reducing CO2 emissions in maritime transport, and it warned that regulation which penalizes short sea shipping could give rise to a shift from sea shipping to overland transport, with the resulting net increase in CO2 emissions, just the opposite of the goal they are trying to achieve.

Last of all, SPC-Spain's representatives reminded those attending of the importance of improving the accessibility and connectivity of ports and terminals in short sea shipping and motorways of the sea, by both railroad and highway.

Manuel Carlier took advantage of his farewell speech to invite Salvador de la Encina to the association's Annual Conference, to be held on November 20 in Cartagena.