The Bilbao Port Authority and the Association of the Commercial Ports in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, comprising the ports of Bayonne, Bordeaux, Rochefort-Tonnay-Charente and La Rochelle, have signed a Cooperation Agreement on 25 September at Agri Vrac with the aim of strengthening cross-border relations by promoting and rolling out a strategic and coordinated partnership, focusing on issues such as the development of innovative and sustainable solutions and, in particular, the deployment of offshore wind energy on the Atlantic coast.

This agreement embodies the intention of both organisations to contribute to an all-round improvement in the competitiveness of the commercial ports serving their hinterland. This will be done by creating an efficient and sustainable cross-border logistics arc, strengthening connectivity between ports and taking advantage of existing facilities to provide all business operators in the Atlantic arc of south-western France and northern Spain with a more efficient and integrated port service, with the possibility of developing real-time data exchanges.

Additionally, both parties undertake to promote joint initiatives in sustainability, digitalisation, logistics innovation and the deployment of renewable marine energy, including developing green technologies, optimising supply chains in south-western Europe and reducing the carbon footprint of port activities, with a view to becoming Europe's leading ports in sustainable shipping and promoting eco-friendly solutions.

The partnership also provides for an increase in export and import capacity to serve international markets, facilitating import and export flows which will boost trade and stimulate the hinterland economy, while at the same time optimising the logistics capacity of the European region.

Agri Vrac

The agri-food industry fair organised by the Port of Bayonne has bring together companies and professionals from the cereal, fertiliser and animal nutrition sectors and their supply chain, from both south-western France and northern Spain, at the Espace de l'Océan in Anglet.

The event has held feature conferences on topics such as logistics links between France and Spain, multimodality, industrial and logistics decarbonisation and opportunities for sustainable, efficient and cross-border agri-food logistics. Agri Vrac has also served as a platform to connect professionals in the bulk food logistics sector, such as service and equipment providers, port operators and shipping agents, amongst others, with the region's agri-food industry.
Source: The Bilbao Port Authority