Carlos Botana Lagarón succeeds Jesús Vázquez Almuiña as president of the Vigo Port Authority. The event was attended by the president of the Xunta de Galicia, Alfonso Rueda; the president of State Ports, Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena; and the regional minister of the sea, Alfonso Villares. Also present were former presidents of the Vigo Port Authority, mayors from the port's service area, and a broad representation from the city's business, economic, social, and political sectors.
After taking office, Botana Lagarón referred to the beginning of "a new stage" that will be marked by dialogue and consensus, in which he will focus on "active listening" to "design innovative solutions" and create "the port of the future".
Bet on Blue Growth
The top port official advocated for continuing to support the European strategy for a sustainable blue economy, which the Vigo harbor has led since 2016, and to strengthen the inclusive and social aspects promoted by his predecessor, Jesús Vázquez Almuiña.
Botana personally pledged that any action taken in the estuary would have the minimum environmental impact. "Always in a sustainable and efficient manner, and as a result of dialogue and consensus with businesses and government bodies.".
Connectivity: necessary and a priority
Furthermore, he deemed improving the port's connectivity "necessary" and "a priority." "We cannot and must not give up on having a port connected by rail to the PLISAN industrial park and the Atlantic Corridor, but we will achieve this through innovative and imaginative solutions, and with maximum dialogue and consensus.".
Work, humility, consensus and dialogue
To achieve these goals, and “aware of the great responsibility I assume today,” he offered “hard work, humility, consensus, and dialogue.” “We want to be a port where its workers are proud to be part of it,” because “the Port of Vigo is what it is because of them.” A port where more than 50,000 people work in direct and indirect jobs, among whom he highlighted the work of the 200 people who, from the Port Authority, “make the port’s daily operations possible.” Workers such as the Port Police, lighthouse keepers, colleagues in port operations, maintenance and infrastructure, environment and security, and many others. “Without them, the port’s daily operation would not be possible.” “I promise you that I will make you proud of the Port of Vigo,” he concluded.
Botana has over 20 years of experience managing the commercial, fishing, and port environment of Vigo. Since 2002, he has held various positions at the Vigo Port Authority, where he was head of the Fishing Operations and Environment Divisions. From 2015 to 2023, he was responsible for the Sustainability Department of the Port of Vigo. He has worked on more than twenty European projects related to the environment and development across various programs.
Coordinator of the Ports Pillar of the Atlantic Area of the European Commission. Member of the Sustainability and Development Committee and the Energy Committee of ESPO (European Sea Ports Organisation), of the Climate and Energy Committee of IAPH (International Association of Ports and Harbours), and was president of the Blue Ports Network during the period 2019-2022 of ESPO. Expert in Blue Economy and coordinator of the Blue Growth strategy of the Port of Vigo since 2016.
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