Puertos del Estado strengthens port cooperation between Spain and Latin America
• The President, Gustavo Santana, signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Transport of Colombia, adding to four already signed with other Latin American countries
24 October 2025 (Puertos del Estado). Puertos del Estado has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Transport of Colombia to enhance port cooperation between the two countries, as part of its commitment to strengthen strategic ties with Latin America and promote the exchange of knowledge and best practices in the port sector.
During the signing ceremony with María Fernanda Rojas Mantilla, Colombia’s Minister of Transport, Gustavo Santana, President of Puertos del Estado, highlighted that “this memorandum will enable the implementation of projects of mutual interest for both countries, while reinforcing the international strategy of Spain’s state-owned port system.”
The document foresees the promotion of collaborative activities such as the exchange of information and experts, the organization of meetings and conferences, and training and research in key areas including port governance, digitalization, energy transition, safety, connectivity, and port-city integration.
With this MoU with Colombia, Puertos del Estado has now signed five agreements with port authorities and institutions across Latin America—specifically with the Maritime Authority of Panama, the National Ports and Navigation Agency of Argentina, the National Port Authority of Peru, and the National Port Commission of Guatemala, as well as a General Protocol of Cooperation with the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA Latam).
These initiatives fall within one of the strategic lines of the Strategic Framework for the Spanish State-Owned Port System — “Ports with an International Outlook”, which aims to promote technical and institutional cooperation in the global port field and enhance the competitiveness of ports.
During his visit to Colombia, President Gustavo Santana also took part in the “Forum Azul on a Sustainable Caribbean Sea,” where he presented the initiatives undertaken by the Spanish port system to address global challenges in maritime and port trade.