Valenciaport prepares to work with 400 meter vessels in its three container terminals

Valencia, July 21^st 2017. – The Port Authority of Valencia continues to work for the adaptation of its three container terminals to the last-generation vessels with capacity for up to 20,000 TEUs. The works, which are expected to be completed by the summer of 2018, have a budget of around 18 million euros and aim to increase the maximum quota of the three terminals to 17 and 18 meters deep.

To facilitate the execution of a project of this magnitude, the PAV has divided it into four different works: the improvement of the depth of the Levante quay, the Transversal Costa quay and the central section of the Príncipe Felipe quay and the dredging of the entire surface. When the works are completed, the port of Valencia will have 1,900 meters of quays adapted for the reception of vessels of up to 20,000 TEUs at full load, which will allow it to attend four vessels of these characteristics simultaneously.

The works for the Levante quay are being carried out and will increase the depth of 15.2 meters up to 17 meters. It has been awarded for 4,867,000 euros to a Temporary Union of Companies between Ferrovial and Pavasal and is scheduled to be completed during the month of September. Meanwhile, the improvement of the depth of the central section of the Principe Felipe quay, which will increase the depth to a maximum level of 18 meters, has been awarded for 3.159.000 euros to a Temporary Union of Companies formed by Dragados and Geocisa and has an execution term of 9 months. Finally, the works for the Transversal Costa quay are still pending bidding and will also increase the depth up to 18 meters. The PAV has allocated for these works a budget of 4,751,000 euros.

Likewise, in order to guarantee the operability and maneuverability of these vessels, Port Authority of Valencia will undertake works to dredge the surface of the port of Valencia. It is expected to be dredge a volume of 690,000 m3, the material which will be used later to fill the new container terminal in the northern extension of the port of Valencia which, with more than 80 hectares, will increase the capacity of the port in three million more containers. The bidding budget for this project amounts to 5.2 million euros and should keep up with the works of draft improvement so that they end in parallel. This project complies with all the environmental requirements of the Environmental Impact Statement of the northern extension of the area.

The Port of Valencia already receives vessels of these characteristics in a punctual way. Last Wednesday the port received the MSC Oliver port call and in April MSC Istanbul and Emma Maersk, both 400 meters in length. The works being undertaken increase the frequency of these vessels by allowing their scale at full load. This project will allow the Port of Valencia to consolidate as a port call in the Mediterranean for these large megaships on their routes East- North America.