The Spanish infrastructure manager Adif and the Barcelona port authority will establish the shared company Train Port Barcelona to manage the port’s rail infrastructure and future investments. The establishers will own 50 per cent of the company, and its goal will be to enhance the port of Barcelona’s role as a rail node.

The agreement between Adif and the port of Barcelona is the first step towards establishing Train Port Barcelona since the plans still need ministerial approval. However, it seems that the process will not be burdened.

“The infrastructure comprising the logistics hub of Barcelona includes railway terminals located along the Llobregat river, the Can Tunis railway complex, the Intermodal and Logistics Terminal of La Llagosta, the Intermodal Terminal of the Port of Barcelona and the Intermodal Terminal of the Railway Motorway,” said Adif while explaining that the new company will undertake the management of the aforementioned and many more.

Full control of rail activities

The name of the new company that will manage the rail infrastructure of Barcelona’s port is very descriptive of its function. Establishing an entity entirely focusing on the port’s rail facilities and operations indicates Barcelona’s potential as a rail freight hub and that modern ports cannot afford to exclude rail from their operations. But how will the new entity function, and what will it do?

According to Adif, Train Port Barcelona will carry out the following activities:

• The management and operation of the Barcelona Port and Railway Management Center (CGFB), which carries out the planning and coordination of the provision of services between the Can Tunis station and the railway terminals of the Port of Barcelona.
• The provision of manoeuvring services and train operations.
• The construction and operation of the future Intermodal Terminal of the Port of Barcelona with a surface area of 13,8 hectares and a planned investment of more than 22 million euros.
• The operation of the Intermodal and Logistics Terminal of La Llagosta located 20 kilometres from the port, in which 25 million euros will be invested in a first phase to have a four-track yard, two gantry cranes and a storage area for containers in an area of ​​14,5 hectares.

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