The Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) continues to bet on the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor, an essential network to favour the work of export companies from Aragon, but also to bring the markets of Navarre, La Rioja and the Basque Country closer to the Port of Valencia
10% of all goods entering or leaving the Port of Valencia by train already travel along the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor
The head of Valenciaport took part in the round table on infrastructures and communications of the ‘Forum for the Promotion of the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor’
Martínez highlighted the fact that the ports are the main generators of freight and rail services. During the first half of the year, more than 2,100 trains have entered or left the Port of Valencia, with a weekly average of 83 trains compared to an average of 77 for the same period in 2021
The president of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV), Aurelio Martínez, has stated that “from Valenciaport we have made a firm commitment to the railway with facts and concrete actions that have allowed us to increase the share of goods entering or leaving by train and increase our commitment to sustainability. During the first half of the year more than 2,100 trains loaded or unloaded at the Port of Valencia, with a weekly average of 83 trains compared to an average of 77 for the same period in 2021”.
“Our commitment to improving rail infrastructures, such as the València-Teruel-Zaragoza line, is reflected in the fact that more and more trains are arriving, longer and with more containers. In fact, this line is ready to receive more trains, what we have to do is to strengthen management”, Martínez indicated.
The head of Valenciaport explained that “so far this year, the increase in rail traffic has experienced in some weeks increases of more than 20% and 40%, especially in the last week of August where it has gone from 65 trains in 2021 to 90, a third with origin or destination Zaragoza. The increase in the share of containers by rail has risen from 7.8% in 2021 to 8.11% in 2022”.
In the next years, Valenciaport is going to invest 240 million Euro to favour the accessibility and improvement of its railway network with actions such as the remodelling of the railway network in the Port of Valencia, the electrification of tracks, the adaptation of the network to the European gauge, the railway access to the Port of Sagunto or the improvement of the Valencia-Teruel-Zaragoza line, among others.
Engagement to the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor
Martínez explained that “the PAV is firmly committed to the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor, a fundamental network to favour the work of export companies in Aragon, but also to bring the markets of Navarre, La Rioja and the Basque Country closer to the Port of Valencia”. Furthermore,” he stressed, “this infrastructure provides the backbone of the Community of Aragon from north to south and the opportunity to extend to Canfranc and the connection with France. We have to work so that Spain stops being a railway island”.
In the last year, 10% of all goods entering or leaving the Port of Valencia by train already travel along the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor. “The Port of Valencia is the perfect ally to promote the internationalisation and competitiveness of Aragonese companies, as we connect them with 1,000 ports around the world in 168 different countries through 100 regular lines”, Aurelio Martínez assured.
The president of the PAV pointed out that in Spain “a great investment effort has been made in railways, but the investment in freight has been practically null. The result is a tiny share in the national freight transport (4.6%), far below the EU average of 17% or the 40% of the USA. The relation with ports is still insufficient, and only the connections between Avilés-Sagunto; Barcelona-Zaragoza; Madrid-València and the Cantabrian-Mediterranean Corridor show significant percentages”.
In this regard, it should be noted that ports are the main generators of freight and rail services: one out of every two containers moved in Spain by train originates in a port.