Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena, President of Puertos del Estado, Explores Strategic Projects at the Port of A Coruña
Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena, the President of Puertos del Estado, visited the Port of A Coruña today to gain firsthand insight into the situation at the port and the strategic projects being undertaken by the Port Authority.
Rodríguez Dapena participated in meetings with the Board of Directors, the Management Committee, union representatives, and members of the port community. He was accompanied by the President of the Port Authority, Martín Fernández Prado, and toured the Batería and Calvo Sotelo docks, as well as the Punta Langosteira Outer Harbor.
During these meetings, Martín Fernández Prado expressed gratitude for Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena's interest in the Port of A Coruña, highlighting the collaboration during Rodríguez Dapena's previous role as the Director of Planning at Puertos del Estado. He congratulated Rodríguez Dapena on his appointment as President and discussed key issues central to the Port Authority's activities. Among these, he referred to the recent tender for the railway connection to the Outer Harbor, the A Coruña Green Port project, and the transformation of spaces within the port.
Regarding the railway connection, Fernández Prado emphasized its significance for the port's future. This infrastructure, entirely financed by European Next Generation funds totaling €171 million, addresses a longstanding demand from Galician institutions, the port community, and civil society in A Coruña. The railway connection will enhance the operational efficiency and competitiveness of the facilities at Punta Langosteira, facilitating the complete transfer of bulk cargo from the inner port to the Outer Harbor.
During the visit to the Batería and Calvo Sotelo docks, Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena observed the location and dimensions of these spaces situated in the center of A Coruña, which have begun opening to the public with activities such as the current photographic exhibition by Peter Lindbergh, promoted by Marta Ortega.
The Presidents of Puertos del Estado and the Port Authority highlighted the importance of finalizing agreements between both institutions, the Xunta de Galicia, and the City Council of A Coruña. These agreements aim to structure the transformation of both docks while maintaining public ownership. They are also designed to reduce the Port Authority's debt to the state entity, facilitating the renegotiation of the loan conditions between the two entities for financing the Outer Harbor.
Subsequently, during the visit to Punta Langosteira, joined by the Government Delegate in Galicia, José Miñones, Martín Fernández Prado outlined the progress made in managing the harbor. In addition to the facilities implemented by concessionaire companies with private or committed investments exceeding €250 million, the Port Authority is strongly committed to the "A Coruña Green Port" project. The primary goal is to leverage Langosteira's potential in the field of new energies.
The Green Port program aims to position the Outer Harbor as a driving force in industries related to energy transition, especially in the offshore sector for export. It offers draft depths and land areas that make it suitable for this industrial development, as confirmed by the interest shown by prominent multinational companies in establishing themselves at the port.
Moreover, well-known projects from Inditex, involving the creation of a wind farm, and Enerfín, to supply hydrogen, along with others to be specified, will contribute to the energy transition of port companies and industries in the vicinity. They are expected to make the Port of A Coruña the first carbon-neutral port in Spain by 2023.
Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena expressed that the entity he leads will continue to support the projects needed and aspired to by the Port of A Coruña to become an economic, social, and environmental benchmark. He also recalled the solidarity and availability of the entire port system in these challenging times amid the conflict in Ukraine.