The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) has approved the awarding of the contract for the construction and operation of the new public passenger terminal in the Port of Valencia to the Valencian company Baleària Eurolineas Marítimas SA. This infrastructure will be located between the Poniente Wharf and the Perfecto Palacio Wharf and will cover approximately 100,000 m²2.
The new public passenger terminal will be a model of environmental and social sustainability, accessibility, and new technologies. It will serve regular domestic and international passenger services, as well as cruise ships and roll-on/roll-off cargo. Therefore, it will have four berths, one of which will accommodate ships up to 360 meters in length, and another at least 250 meters long. A 215-meter central pier will be built for ferry berthing.
The operations for regular passenger traffic and cruise passengers will be separate and in different areas. The goal is to lead passenger and business traffic between the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, with a commitment from the future Valencian terminal operator to serve 370,000 passengers in the first year on regular ferries and cruise ships, and up to 472,000 by the fifth year.
For the management of cruises, Balèaria will incorporate the experience of Global Ports Holding (GPH), which will contribute all its know-how to the project and its commitment to a more sustainable cruise offering with less environmental impact.
The most eco-sustainable terminal
The project submitted to the competition launched by the Port Authority of Valencia (APV) incorporates all the environmental contributions of the Valencia City Council and enjoys broad consensus. The maritime station will operate with zero emissions, promote the circular economy, and include a space for cultural activities.
The new passenger terminal at the Port of Valencia guarantees that 100% of the necessary electricity will be produced on-site and will be of renewable origin: photovoltaic, wind, renewable hydrogen or biofuel.
All its docks will be equipped with a network supplying electricity to berthed vessels, thus facilitating the shutdown of engines and the reduction of emissions when they are visiting Valencia. The terminal will recycle 100% of the waste it generates in a biomethane plant that will be built specifically for this purpose; and it will treat waste from ships and from the building itself to obtain biogas.
All these measures will be complemented by centralized control and management systems for the facilities, intelligent consumption systems, LED lighting, electric charging systems to be installed in parking lots, and a carbon footprint monitoring system.
Preliminary conditioning works
The APV is finalizing the drafting of the construction projects, so the start of the works is expected in approximately 14 months in the case of the Perfecto Palacio Dock, and 18 months for the Grada Dock.
The Port Authority of Valencia (APV) has already prepared part of the site of the former shipyard in the Port of Valencia, where the four elements of the old shipyard, cataloged by the Demetrio Ribes Chair of Industrial Archaeology at the University of Valencia as pieces of historical and artistic value, have been preserved. Specifically, these are the water tank, the shipbuilding slipway, two cranes, and the most emblematic buildings.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
- It will operate with zero polluting emissions
- It will focus on the circular economy
- The ships will be connected to the electrical grid at the docks
- It will recycle 100% of the waste through a biomethane plant
- It will treat waste from ships and the building to obtain biogas
- It will be 100% self-sufficient in electricity generated by renewable energy sources
- The terminal's roofs will have a photovoltaic plant
- Ten mini wind turbines will be installed
- Electrolysis and fuel cell system for generating hydrogen
SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
- A space for Cultural Promotion will be located
- Conservation of architectural elements of historical value
