CARTAGENA (MURCIA), 27 (EUROPA PRESS)
The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Cartagena (APC), chaired by Pedro Pablo Hernández, has approved the Terms and Conditions of the public tender for the granting of administrative concessions in the Logistics Zone of the Expansion of the Escombreras Dock, primarily for the handling and storage of liquid and solid bulk goods.
«This initiative responds to the current high level of occupation, with 90% of the operational area already in use, and to the strong business demand,» explained the president of the APC, who detailed that «we are launching a competition for 72,852 square meters distributed in four plots, in an orderly project that will provide a transparent and structured framework for the allocation of land in the logistics area.»
Specifically, Plot 1, with 15,769 square meters, will be designated for solid bulk goods; Plot 2 with 45,245 square meters, for liquid bulk goods; Plot 3, with 6,069 square meters, for mixed use, including solid bulk, liquid, or other compatible goods; as well as Plot 4 with 5,769 square meters, designated for solid bulk goods.
Hernández highlighted that with this tender, «we attract investment to Cartagena and the Region, industrial investment with high added value, while generating opportunities and employment through synergies with the business sector.»
Currently, there are over 125,000 square meters occupied through concessions and administrative authorizations, mainly for agri-food, industrial bulk goods, wind turbine parts, or scrap. Since its launch in 2010, the Escombreras expansion has far exceeded its initial expectations. The development of concessions has significantly boosted the economic and industrial growth of the Region of Murcia, according to the APC.
Now, faced with numerous requests, the APC presents this tender as a tool to «guarantee a planned, efficient, and sustainable use of the available space.»
The selection of offers will be based on criteria such as productivity and operational efficiency, guaranteed minimum traffic, planned investment, level of automation and technological innovation, contribution to industrial activity, environmental improvement, and sustainability, among others.
The maximum concession period will be 40 years, adjusted to the request of each company. The deadline for submitting offers will be 30 business days from the publication of the announcement in the Official State Gazette (BOE).
Once the deadline is closed, a minimum evaluation period of three months is expected, after which, if there are no appeals, the approval by the Board of Directors and the administrative processing of the concession will proceed, with an estimated duration of about 12 months. The first concessions could be formalized in the second quarter of 2026.
SOLID FINANCIAL POSITION
The Port Authority of Cartagena closed the 2024 fiscal year with a «solid and balanced» financial position, the result of «efficient and responsible management that guarantees its financial self-sufficiency without the need for borrowing.»
This was confirmed by the president of the Port Authority of Cartagena, Pedro Pablo Hernández, at the Board of Directors meeting after approving the Annual Accounts of the fiscal year, stating, «we once again position ourselves as one of the most profitable ports in Spain, tripling the minimum established objective and with accounts showing a profit of 23.1 million euros, a 4.63% increase compared to 2023.»
The Port of Cartagena recorded total revenues of 61.87 million euros in 2024, with a 1.74% increase, with port fees and tariffs being the main source of income at 49.08 million.
Within these, there was a notable growth of 9.72% in the occupancy rate, a sign of the business confidence in the Port of Cartagena as an investment space.
Utilization rates decreased overall by 2.92%, with uneven behavior by categories, decreases in the ship and pleasure craft rates, but increases in other areas of activity.
On the other hand, the main expense items were the increase in personnel expenses by 7.36%, with the addition of 27 new professionals, as well as other operating expenses with a 23.15% increase, including repairs, as well as actions that, being outside the usual operational environment of the port, were accounted for as expenses.
All of this amounts to 39.5 million euros. With all this, the Port’s profitability remains among the highest in the national port system, with a rate of 6.01%, more than double the minimum target of 2.5% set at the national level.
«Our profitability allows us to undertake major projects with our own resources, without the need for external financing,» emphasized Hernández. In this sense, he highlighted the cash flow in 2024, which amounted to 36.56 million euros, a 4.01% increase over the previous year.
Hernández concluded that «we face 2025 with financial strength, sufficient liquidity, outstanding profitability, and a management model focused on efficiency, investment, and long-term sustainability. All of this reinforces our ability to tackle the strategic expansions that the Port needs to continue growing as a key infrastructure at the national level, while also being cautious in the face of global instability.»
