Spanish port embraces rail with new intermodal facility
A new intermodal facility will be built at the port of Sagunto, near Valencia, in eastern Spain. It will be equipped with two yards: one for handling containers and one for handling vehicles. For this project, which should be commissioned next spring, the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda, (MITMA) launched a tender for 17,5 million euros.
According to MITMA, the whole initiative should take around 11 months to complete. Both the Container Yard and the Vehicle Yard will be able to accommodate 750-metre trains. The rail infrastructure at the port of Sagunto will also be upgraded to enable train circulation on both the Iberian and the standard gauge. Moreover, new access routes will be built to improve the connection between the Vehicle Terminal to the berthing area of the pier.
The tender launched by MITMA also includes the installation of light and camera systems as well as the upgrade of railway crossings. In the second phase, technological upgrades such as track signalling and remote control will be implemented. The project also includes a Construction and Demolition Waste Management Study.
The port of Sagunto
The port of Sagunto, part of the Valencia Port Authority (APV) together with the ports of Valencia and Gandia, specialises in the transport of vehicles. However, it also moves significant quantities of steel and iron products as well as natural gas, containers, and solid and liquid bulk. Active since 1902 and part of the APV since 1985, the port of Sagunto is located roughly 40 kilometres north of Valencia, on the Spanish east coast.
RailFreight Connects
The synergies between ports, terminals, and rail infrastructure have recently been under the spotlight, especially in Europe, where ports are increasingly investing in improving rail connectivity. The RailFreight Connects, which will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bremen, Germany, on 6 and 7 September, will be the perfect opportunity for the industry to discuss how these synergies can be boosted. Representatives from HHLA, the port of Genoa, Nevomo, Lohr, DB Netz, UIRR, and more are among the already confirmed speakers. You can find out more about the RailFreight Connects here and retrieve your tickets here.
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