Cartagena promotes El Gorguel hub

The project will require investment of E1.4B that APC plans to raise as a public private partnership initiative, with E750M provided by private investors and the remaining E650M by APC.

On offer is a 30-year operating concession along with a possible five-year extension - the longest period possible under existing Spanish law. Work is expected to commence by 2012 and the port to open 36 months later.

Because of Cartagena’s favourable location for transhipment, it is argued that by 2020 El Gorguel could be handling 2M TEU/year, according to the plan, increasing to 2.7M TEU by 2025. An area encompassing 50M m2 is also expected to be put aside adjacent to the new port to serve as a logistic space and distribution area.

A feasibility study has been completed by consultants ALG and this has been shown to a number of Spanish construction companies known to be interested in backing the project. The University of Cartagena, as well as Hamburg Port Consulting and Ocean Shipping Consultants, all back the feasibility of the project, according to port sources.

Information released by the director of Public Works in Murcia suggested that up to 21M TEU regularly pass by the port and this figure is increasing by 10% annually. In addition to the container terminal, the new harbour will have ferry/ro-ro and multi-purpose/general cargo handling facilities.

Currently under way in the port is a dredging programme being executed for APC by a joint venture of Nesco and Dragados as part of the work on the multi-purpose terminal in the Escomberas dock basin.