The Port of Barcelona's management board has authorised the start of the tender process to award a concession for a public multi-purpose maritime terminal located on Príncep d'Espanya wharf.
The tender was initiated following the expiry of the current concession this year.
The new terminal will provide continuity to the non-containerised general cargo activity. The port said that without this tender, it would hold a monopoly on such activity. The aim is to guarantee a competitive service, open to third parties and aligned with the logistical and industrial needs of the area.
The future facility will cover an area of 87,425 square metres that includes the existing office buildings and parking facility, which will be maintained, while the remaining structures may be refurbished or replaced as decided by the successful bidder.
The tender specifications state that the terminal will be able to handle general cargo and certain mixed traffic, but excludes specialised traffic such as passengers (except professional drivers), dry and liquid bulk.
The specifications also establish a minimum volume of non-containerised general cargo to avoid exclusive handling of containerships that can be serviced at other existing terminals.
The tender has established an indicative investment of around €3.6 million (US$4.3 million) in civil engineering works and facilities.
The terminal must have at least three mobile cranes (two of which have been working for under five years at the start of the concession) and six sets of auxiliary goods handling equipment.
Additional investments in specialised machinery will be required if traffic exceeds certain thresholds (15,000 TEUs per year or 50,000 tonnes of Ro-Ro cargo).
The concession will be granted for a 16-year period with the possibility of early termination from year 10, if activities within the port area require reorganisation. In this scenario, the concession-holder would be entitled to compensation for the investments that have not been amortised.
The tender also incorporates environmental criteria such as energy efficiency of the equipment; renewable energy generation; measures to reduce water and electricity consumption; and the possibility to electrify machinery.
The procedure is open and is subject to an ordinary procedure, with broad solvency requirements to guarantee competition between operators. Bids will be evaluated according to a combination of technical and financial criteria.
