An architect from the University of Navarra and a PhD with extraordinary award, he completed postgraduate studies at the Bartlett School of Architecture and a Master's degree in Urban Planning at Harvard University.
Professor of projects at the Boston Architectural Center. Professor of Urban Planning at the School of Architecture of A Coruña (UDC) and deputy director in the period 2000-2003. His main fields of research and publication are on urban agendas and strategies and Smart Cities.
He served as Director General of Urban Planning and Land Management in the Galician Government (2003-05). He was a City Councillor in A Coruña (between 2011 and 2019, and in 2020), responsible for urban planning, housing and infrastructure (2011-15).
Since December 2020 he has been President of the Port Authority of A Coruña.
What position does the port of A Coruña currently hold in the Spanish cruise traffic? Within the Atlantic arc, competing with Ferrol, Vigo, Leixões, etc., what would you say is A Coruña's main competitive advantage?
The evolution of the Port of A Coruña as a cruise destination has been a marathon, not a sprint. In 2009, we barely exceeded 50,000 passengers, and in less than a decade, we have tripled that figure, which continues to grow, with a record number of cruise passengers last year, exceeding 222,000, and the expectation of surpassing that mark this year.
The enormous effort made by both the Port Authority and Corunna Cruise Terminal, the shipping agents and all the other actors involved in the service to ships and the attention to travelers has placed us as leaders on the Cantabrian Atlantic coast, from Lisbon to French Brittany.
Our competitive advantages are numerous. From our strategic location on the Atlantic routes, with a seamless connection to Southampton, to our passenger service and the quality of our onboard services. Of course, A Coruña's appeal as a destination is also fundamental, because otherwise the airlines wouldn't return, and the truth is, they are very loyal.
The proximity of the Transatlantic Pier to the city center is a key advantage. Passengers find themselves in the heart of the city, with its wide range of cultural, leisure, shopping, and dining options, right on the ship.
The Arvia, the largest and most modern cruise ship dedicated to the British market, recently made a stop in A Coruña. Looking at port calls from previous years, A Coruña has two major source markets: the British and the German. Does the Port Authority specifically promote these markets? How will they strengthen this relationship?
One of the keys to our growth is that we have been able to leverage our complementary relationship with the port of Southampton, both in terms of sailing times and the understanding we have developed with them. It is the home port for many shipping lines serving the British market, which offer a significant range of transatlantic itineraries.
Regarding the German market, it is strongly linked to two shipping companies with which we have a very solid relationship: Aida Cruises and Tui Cruises, which have included the Port of A Coruña in their routes to southern Spain and Portugal or to the Canary Islands for years, as well as in their repositioning trips to Northern Europe during the summer season.
Which cruise segment are they focusing their promotional efforts on? And specifically, do they intend to increase the number of port calls for luxury ships?
The Port Authority of A Coruña maintains a close relationship and commercial monitoring with all shipping companies, taking into account the versatility of the city and its surroundings to offer all kinds of destination experiences and satisfy different market niches.
Obviously, one of our priorities, given the economic impact this has on the city, is the luxury and ultra-luxury segment. We are making a concerted effort to attract cruise ship calls from these brands, even considering potential turnaround packages with pre- and post-cruise stays. To this end, we are developing a range of unique excursions tailored to a clientele seeking exclusive experiences, with customized proposals and personalized attention.
To achieve this, we work hand in hand with the Xunta de Galicia, tour operators, the Tourism Consortium and with innovative resources such as the Estrella de Galicia Museum, MEGA, through highly successful gastronomic experiences, pairing local products with different types of beer.
What is the opinion of shipping companies regarding the cruise ship infrastructure at the port of A Coruña?
The feedback we receive from our trade missions and our ongoing interactions with them in other forums is very positive. Our infrastructure is well-suited to their needs, both in terms of docks and vessel services. The proximity of the Transatlantic Dock to the city center, via a beautiful pedestrian walkway with the marina's basin and glass galleries as a backdrop, is a key advantage. Furthermore, we are constantly working to adapt to the growing demands of the sector, investing in the improvement and modernization of our facilities.
Does the Port Authority have among its projects the electrification of its cruise ship dock, like other ports in the Spanish port system?
We are working to implement the electrification of the Transatlantic Pier as soon as possible, to provide service to ships via an onshore power supply (OPS) connection while they are docked in our port. In fact, we have already contracted the preliminary work for the necessary conduit installation and commissioned the preliminary design for the required components and resources. We expect to be one of the first ports in Spain to electrify the pier.
This project is part of our commitment to energy efficiency and reducing our carbon footprint, which we are already applying in all our areas of activity.
What other actions or projects does the Port Authority develop to enhance the sustainability of its activity?
Sustainability is at the heart of our strategic plan through the A Coruña Green Port project, which encompasses two fundamental objectives: to serve as a catalyst for energy innovation in the industrial sector through the use of renewable energy sources with zero emissions, and to create an energy and marine industrial hub in the Outer Port. To achieve this, we have the involvement of major companies, such as Inditex, which will build a wind farm in Punta Langosteira to supply not only its facilities in the Sabón industrial park, but also the Port itself and the operators working within it.
Furthermore, we have major companies planning to install their new energy generation, storage, and distribution plants, such as those for hydrogen and green ammonia, within the port area. Regarding offshore wind, we have become a strategic port for the offshore wind export industry, given the growing demand in Europe for the manufacture of components for plants currently under construction in various countries.
In the case of cruise ships, we support the industry and the ships in their firm commitment to sustainability and offer, for example, the MARPOL waste collection service and all the requirements that may arise in this area.
The presence of the Mugardos regasification plant could enable the port of A Coruña to become a LNG bunker. How will A Coruña position itself in this area with the arrival of new ecological fuels such as hydrogen, which will be used by the new generation of cruise ships?
Initially, the planned green hydrogen and ammonia generation, storage, and distribution plants for the Outer Port are intended for export and to supply energy to industrial vehicles, but that's just the beginning. There are no limits to their development and potential applications, and I'm sure that supplying ships will be one of them.
Finally, in your capacity as an urban planner, do you believe that the most central docks of the port of A Coruña could have a more urban use, within a port-city integration process, especially with the commissioning of the outer port? Could they eventually be used by cruise ships?
The most central docks are now the main berthing point for cruise ships, and this is combined with an increasingly strong port-city relationship. This conviction has guided all the actions we have been developing since Easter 2021, when we opened the Transatlantic Dock, the most central and one of the most emblematic, to the public. Following this, the Batería and Calvo Sotelo docks were opened, and they are now fully integrated as major centers for leisure, culture, and sports in our city.
In this short period of time, we have already hosted internationally renowned exhibitions such as those of the Marta Ortega Foundation, several music festivals, exhibitions, and sporting events. And we hope that in the very near future, the major redevelopment project that will completely transform A Coruña's waterfront, adhering to the highest standards, will be undertaken—a process in which all levels of government, from national to local, will participate.
