Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena, President of Puertos del Estado, highlights the Strategic Nature of the Port of Melilla during his visit

On March 15, 2022, the president of Puertos del Estado, Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena, conducted an institutional visit to the Port Authority of Melilla (APM) accompanied by its president, Víctor A. Gamero García, and the management team. This visit is part of the ongoing rounds of meetings with the managers of general interest ports within the State Port System.

The morning began with a meeting with the City's President, discussing the future prospects of the Melilla port. Later, he moved to the headquarters of the Government Delegation in Melilla for a meeting with the Delegate, Sabrina Moh.

At the Port Authority's headquarters, the protocol signing in the Book of Honor took place. Subsequently, the President of Puertos del Estado met with the management team of the Port Authority, discussing topics such as the proposal for the upcoming meeting of the Interport Compensation Fund in Melilla, treating the port of Melilla as a strategic enclave, the need to recover the value of the port's assets, as well as the cruise pier project and its financing, and other future developments.

Rodríguez Dapena highlighted that so far, "the Interport Compensation Fund (FCI) has been a fundamental resource for the economic sustainability of the Port of Melilla, covering with this resource the revenue losses attributable to discounts on fees for insularity, isolation, and ultraperipherality. Especially in recent years, it has also covered losses due to border closures and interruptions in the Strait of Gibraltar crossing operation."

Next, there was a meeting with representatives of the port community and companies from various links in the logistics chain. This allowed for a common understanding of the different perspectives on the need to overcome the difficulties faced by the Port of Melilla. All expressed their willingness to support the Port Authority, combining efforts to regain a path of growth with new business opportunities.

After these meetings, the delegation visited the central facilities of the Port Authority, the commercial port, and the marina. During these visits, the President of Puertos del Estado received detailed information about the short-term and future projects, considered as a lever for the economic development of the city. These projects are not only focused on infrastructure but also on digitization, innovation, and sustainability.

The President of Puertos del Estado took note of the need to maintain special sensitivity to the challenging circumstances faced by the Port Authority. Both entities share the approach to change the regulatory framework to ensure the economic viability of the port, relying on its status as a strategic enclave, especially if the current crisis and border closures persist and become structural.