The Bilbao Port Authority will once again be taking part in Fruit Attraction, the leading international trade fair for the fruit and vegetable sector, to be held from 30 September to 2 October at IFEMA Madrid. The event will bring together more than 2,200 companies from the sector and over 120,000 trade visitors from around 150 countries. At the fair, the Port of Bilbao (Hall 4 – Stand 4C01) will present its latest innovations for efficient, secure and traceable logistics, and will reaffirm its strategic role as a foreign trade platform for fruit and vegetables, especially in the Atlantic and European markets.
The Port of Bilbao operates maritime services connecting to some 900 ports worldwide, particularly in Northern Europe and the British Isles, and has specialised facilities and companies with experience in handling perishable goods. Its container terminal is the largest in northern Spain, with 540 reefer container sockets and automated access that streamlines and simplifies all operations, a key feature for this type of traffic.
Likewise, the port boasts ro-ro and multipurpose terminals, as well as perishable goods warehouses. The Frioport cold storage terminal occupies 4,800 m² of floor space, with two freezers operating at -25ºC with a total capacity of 16,300 m³, and three cold rooms with a capacity of 7,500 m³. In addition, Progeco has two facilities for the storage and transfer of goods with 6,000 m² of positive cold storage space. It also offers specialised services for the storage, maintenance and repair of refrigerated containers 365 days a year, thereby preventing interruptions in the cold chain.
The large surface area and resources available for logistics make the Border Control Post (BCP) at the Port of Bilbao one of the most advanced among Spanish ports. Its facilities are currently being upgraded, with an investment of 534,052 euros to replace the refrigeration equipment in the cold rooms and loading bays, which will be ready by the end of October. It has two separate areas, one for administration and one for inspection. The large inspection area has 15 loading/unloading bays and is equipped with technical resources for industrial refrigeration, thermal insulation and easy-to-clean, resistant and durable finishes, designed to maintain optimal conditions for fruit and vegetable logistics at all times. The BCP provides all the required authorisations for the control of products of animal and non-animal origin, animal feed, vegetables, vegetable products, wood and wood products.
Puerto de Bilbao 28/12/2024
To contribute to the efficiency of fruit and vegetable logistics and traceability, the Port Authority has provided shipping companies, consignees, shipping lines, stevedores and freight forwarders, customs agents and transporters using ro-ro services and rail transport with the e-puertobilbao digital integration platform, which helps to streamline and simplify document exchange processes for accessing port services. The platform offers services specifically designed for each type of user and is constantly being updated to include new features.
Efficiency and sustainability
The facilities and connectivity of the Port of Bilbao offer the fruit and vegetable sector a competitive and more environmentally responsible option, in line with European decarbonisation objectives. In this regard, and in addition to its excellent maritime connectivity, Bilbao is a leader in the share of containers transported by rail, with weekly container rail services and depots in the provinces of Araba, Barcelona, Burgos, Guadalajara, Huesca, La Rioja, Madrid, Murcia, Seville, Tarragona, Valencia, Vigo and Zaragoza. Furthermore, services for conventional cargo and liquid bulk have been increased, and a new rail service for grain has been launched with Aragón. Aratrain, the rail-port terminal at the Arasur intermodal logistics platform managed by Sibport, continues to receive trains on a regular basis, with a daily service from Monday to Saturday.
The Port of Bilbao is also in the process of electrifying its docks, an initiative that will enable vessels to connect to the power grid while in port, thereby avoiding the use of auxiliary engines powered by fossil fuels. This innovation will reduce CO₂ emissions and other atmospheric pollutants by up to 40%, consolidating the commitment of the port to cleaner and more sustainable transport. The BilbOPS project, co-funded by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF funds) and the Bilbao Port Authority itself, is due to come into operation in 2027. Additionally, the initiative provides for power consumption to be partially sourced from renewable sources, such as PV solar panels. Mention should also be made of the 80 million euro loan secured from the European Investment Bank (EIB), part of which will be used to finance this project.
Source: Bilbao Port Authority