Valencia, One of the biggest logistic centres in Southern Europe

alencia has a set of installations that make it one of the most powerful logistic centres in Southern Europe, and one with the most potential for growth: the Port of Valencia, the airport, the new facilities that are under construction or planned such as the future Logistic Activity Zone (ZAL), the Ribarroja Logistic Park, and plans for improving access to and connections between these centres. The city is currently making sure that its logistic activity will continue to expand.

The infrastructure that makes this possible.

The Port of Valencia

The Port of Valencia, which has an interoceanic status, is the largest commercial port in the Mediterranean and has recorded the largest growth in container traffic in the entire European Union. The Port of Valencia has regular connections with 300 other ports in the five continents. Located at the centre of the Spanish Mediterranean Arc, it serves an area, or hinterland, with a 350 kilometre radius and affects approximately 56% of the GNP and half the working population of Spain. Its network of overland connections (a toll-free dual carriageway to Madrid, and daily rail services) and advanced infrastructures make it the natural port for Madrid and the interior of the Peninsula. Furthermore, its position at the hub of the western Mediterranean facilitates the distribution of goods over a 970 kilometre radius that includes the countries of North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Lybia), a huge market of over 125 million consumers. Its activity covers all sectors of the economy and every kind of merchandise. It offers a series of high-quality services with its own guarantee system, and has developed projects and initiatives aimed at maintaining an equilibrium between the commercial and economic growth of the port and the protection of the environment27.

There is an extensive communciations network for transport by air, rail and road. Access to the international aiport is less than 15 minutes away by dual carriageway; there is a direct connection to the rail network with direct services to Madrid and Barcelona; there is also access to the international network of European motorways via the A-7 and the A-3 (the toll-free dual carriageway to Madrid), accessible via the V-15 and V-30 by-passes.

The Port Authority’s Strategic Plan28 is currently looking at projects and alternatives for the expansion process. Two possibilities for the increase of its infrastractures on the 2008 horizon are envisaged: expansion to the south of the Port of Valencia, or to the north. This depends on the results obtained from maritime, environmental, technical and economic surveys. The second alternative will be reserved for expansion in the long term.

The Port’s Logistic Zone

Work on the Port’s Logistic Zone is nearing completion. This will consolidate its "inter-oceanic" status and ensure its loading capacity for a reasonable period of time in the future. The Zone is located next to the public container terminal (the area in shading in the image) and is strategically connected for the optimum management of a combination of transport methods. It will be provided with the most up-to-date installations for the servicing of maritime goods traffic and foreign trade.

The total surface area of the Zone will be 683,232 square metres (the area in shading in the photograph) of which 309,865 will be for industrial use, 31,493 for multi-services and 295,987 for public use (e.g. garden areas, public buildings and roads).

With the Logistic Zone the Port will be able to offer a full range of services and will become an efficient tool for overseas distribution, both for companies in the Valencia Region and for those planning to set up a strategic distribution centre for western Mediterranean markets. The Zone will have highly advanced services and facilities, telematic connections, systems for security and control of access, business centres, banks, customs warehouses, a service station, restaurants, cafés and other support services.

Valencia Airport

In recent years Valencia airport has become an important centre for business and tourism, especially as the sender and receiver of passengers on regional flights (Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Palma de Majorca, Ibiza), and for its direct connections to the main European cites (Lisbon, London, Paris, Milan, Amsterdam). Furthermore, the airport’s area of influence is predominantly industrial. A large number of companies are located within its environs, and it has an important communications network (the A-3 Madrid-Valencia, and A-7 dual carriageways) to help access. The proximity and accessibility of the Port of Valencia allows for an interchange with land and sea transportation.

At the moment an estimated two million passengers and eleven million tons of goods pass through the airport each year. The "Plan Director", which was approved in 200129, predicts that the logistic and passenger activity will double. This plan has already started to be put into effect, its principal points being the following: the enlargement of the runways (to 3,200 metres) to allow for the arrival of large aircraft and for freight planes to leave fully loaded; a new runway for taxiing; the amplification of space for stationary commercial aircraft, the amplification of the terminal building and of the parking space for vehicles; the construction of a new loading area; a terminal of 8,000 square metres specifically for regional flights (with a new car park) and another for freight; the conversion of the land occupied by the old air base into an industrial area (the air base buildings will be rented to the operating airline companies); the construction of a new platform for general aviation (66,000 square metres); the amplification of the industrial (previously military) area platform to 147,000 square metres.

The future RibarrojaLogistic Park

Another important consideration is the construction of an Integral Goods Centre for road transport within the metropolitan area, an infrastructure of great interest to the logistic sector for the increase in competitiveness it will offer. The Regional Government is about to start work at the junction of the A-3 and the by-pass in Ribarroja on the first phase of a logistic area for shipping containers and lorry parking. Among other services, this will include a technical assistance centre for heavy vehicles, parking spaces, workshops, factory premises, space for warehousing and packaging, garden areas, hotels, meeting rooms, restaurants and cafeterias. The logistic park will cover an area of 1,222,103 square metres.

Access to the logistic centres

Projects such as the northern access to the Port (soon to be carried out), the new rail link to the Port (under construction) and improvements to access to the airport will provide support for the city’s logistic centres and allow an interchange of transportation and distribution methods. This will mean savings both in costs and transport time.

The results:

The most developingport in the Mediterranean

The Port of Valencia is a paradigm of the development of logistic activity in a city and its
environs. Since the middle of the 1990s its activity has increased spectacularly. This has been due to excellent management and the dynamism of the business sector in the surrounding area. Instead of slowing down with the passing of time, in recent years the rate of this growth has accelerated.

One of the three busiest ports in Spain, Valencia has in the last few years surpassed Barcelona in the traffic of both containers and general merchandise.This activity has also had great impact on its hinterland, or area of influence. A privileged strategic position makes it more than just a port for the loading and unloading of cargo (as is the case with Algeciras or Gioia Tauro). The goods imported have an economic impact on the surrounding area, and most of the exported goods are produced in the territory.

In terms of container traffic, the Port of Valencia is also one of the principal ports in the Mediterranean, with a growth rate that surpasses most of the others, especially in recent years.

An airport with great potential

Valencia airport has great potential for the transportation of merchandise, especially in view of the "Plan Director". Over recent years it has maintained its position in this sector, in spite of unfavourable conditions and fierce competition.