•Both leaders indicated that the agreement establishes a boost to an already initiated cooperation, which will benefit other Atlantic ports in gaining specific weight against the Mediterranean routes
The president of the Port Authority of A Coruña, Enrique Losada, today received the Portuguese delegation made up of representatives of the Port Authority of Douro, Leixões and Viana do Castelo, and headed by the president of this organization, Emilio Brogueira, in order to sign a collaboration agreement between the ports of A Coruña and Leixões-Porto.
The signing of the Memorandum took place in the Port Authority's boardroom, where both port officials emphasized that the main objective of this agreement is to boost cruise traffic at both ports through joint initiatives, thus continuing a collaborative framework already established due to their shared cultural roots and within the existing cooperation between Atlantic ports. As Enrique Losada stated, "This is about taking advantage of the upward trend we are experiencing in this sector to join forces and attract new shipping lines and vessels." The president of the public body recalled that this agreement is the result of prior work between both institutions, which was promoted by the port authorities and also by the former mayor of A Coruña, Carlos Negreira, who fostered new avenues of collaboration between the Galician and Portuguese ports and cities.
Enrique Losada described this initiative as “very positive for Galicia, as it aims to attract and consolidate cruise ship arrivals on Atlantic routes,” taking advantage of the need for cruise lines to continually renew their itineraries to cater to a highly loyal clientele who often take repeat cruises. He indicated that other Atlantic destinations could also benefit from this collaborative framework. Regarding the choice of Porto as a strategic port for this collaboration, he noted that the distance between the two cities is ideal for sailing times. In fact, a large proportion of the cruise ships that call at A Coruña also stop at the port of Porto.
Regarding the collaborative actions detailed in the memorandum, the following stand out: joint promotion of both ports in the cruise market, exchange of knowledge and statistics, development of projects in this sector and of good port management practices, and, in general, all those initiatives that benefit both ports and, by extension, both cities.
Enrique Losada concluded by emphasizing the importance of the cruise sector for A Coruña and cited data from a recent survey, presented last July, which estimated the economic impact of cruises at 8 million euros per year. The survey also indicated that more than 80% of cruise passengers would recommend visiting the city to their friends and family. The president of the Port Authority noted that the greatest benefit derived from cruise traffic accrues to the city, as the ports themselves receive only a negligible amount of revenue. For this reason, he stressed the importance for local businesses and the hospitality sector of A Coruña gaining increasing renown and prestige as a tourist destination, thanks in part to the role cruise passengers play as brand ambassadors.
For his part, the president of the Port Authority of Douro, Leixões and Viana do Castelo, Emilio Brogueira, emphasized that the understanding with A Coruña has very long roots and that both destinations frequently share shipping routes. Furthermore, they are already integrated into joint projects such as Cruise Atlantic Europe, an association encompassing the most prominent Atlantic ports with the aim of offering innovative options based on the cultural, heritage, or historical value of the destinations, as an alternative to traditional Mediterranean routes. He also stated that this agreement is ideal for ports as similar as A Coruña and Leixões, which has just opened a new cruise terminal and whose passenger numbers are similar, although still slightly lower, than those of A Coruña. “For me, having a protocol with A Coruña is practically essential,” concluded the president of the Porto port authority, as it formalizes an existing cooperative practice and provides new impetus to move forward and “row together in the same direction.”.
PORT NEWS
Following the signing of the protocol, the president of the Port Authority of A Coruña addressed other current issues in response to questions from journalists. First, referring to the meeting between the mayor of A Coruña, Xulio Ferreiro, and the Minister of Public Works, Ana Pastor, he praised the minister's willingness to engage in dialogue as "excellent." He added that all existing possibilities regarding the sale of land in the inner harbor as a source of funding for Punta Langosteira would be analyzed, as stipulated in the agreements signed in 2004. Enrique Losada stated, "I welcome any coherent measure that provides a real solution to this problem, regardless of who proposes it." However, he emphasized the need to analyze this action as a whole, without forgetting the agreements signed in 2004, which remain the current reality. Referring to the timelines and procedures, he stated that proposals and initiatives must be submitted by the Board of Directors of the Port Authority and obtain the approval of the Council of Ministers whenever the operations exceed an amount of 18 million euros.
Finally, he appealed to the responsibility of all parties, urging them to avoid demagoguery, and reminded everyone that the Port Authority belongs to no one but society as a whole, that its duty is to serve its community, and that the returns obtained, such as wealth and job creation, benefit the surrounding area, so words like speculation have no place here. “This is about rescuing a situation for an infrastructure that is and will continue to be an engine for society as a whole,” because “if the port thrives, the city thrives, and vice versa.”.
Enrique Losada also announced that the tunnel connecting to Parrote, part of the Marina project, will be completed and ready for handover in October. He indicated that the micro-blasting, which has been virtually imperceptible, will conclude this week, and that the work is proceeding on schedule. Regarding the hospitality establishments, he stated that a new certification was requested from the City Council in July to determine the impact of the latest modifications to the Special Plan and to unblock the bidding process for their allocation, but a response has not yet been received.
