PIC IN PINK BOX
The Port of Algeciras is located in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Primarily a transshipment port, its position in the Strait of Gibraltar and key east to west shipping routes establishes it as one of the busiest maritime trading hubs in the world. The Port is managed by the Algeciras Port Authority, COMPORT is a Commercial Association established for the Commercial promotion of Algeciras Port, together with the Port Authority. Chairman José Manuel Tejedor explained more to Hannah Barnett.
INboth English and Spanish, COMPORT is a compound word, made up from ‘community’ (comunidad) and ‘port’ (Puerto). The name reflects the ethos of teamwork and collaboration that runs through all operations at the Port of Algeciras.
“We are a community and like to showcase ourselves as such,” said José Manuel Tejedor, Chairman. “It’s like Formula One: when a car makes a pit stop, all the mechanics work together to make
the stop the shortest it can possibly be. This is how we present ourselves to a customer. All the companies within COMPORT co-ordinate to make the fastest, smoothest and cheapest port call for the client.”
A shared history
COMPORT was established in 1999: the companies integrated in the association offer a comprehensive range of services, covering all the logistics and ship services
that a vessel visiting the Port of Algeciras may need.
The ongoing goal is to increase the flow of cargo and improve the competitiveness of the port and the companies operating within it. As a result, COMPORT members have travelled more than 1.4 million kilometres around the world over the last two-and-a-half decades to promote the port and its community.
With over 100,000 vessels traversing the Strait, and almost 30,000 vessels calling at Port of Algeciras each year, it is vital to offer a well-equipped site. Facilities include a shipyard, a refinery, a steel mill, a power plant, anchorage and Off Port Limits operations in the Strait.
In 2010, Algeciras Port developed a second container terminal, known as
TTI Algeciras, the first semi-automated terminal in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean area. Then bunkering infrastructure was added in 2013, with the new EVOS terminal (ex-Vopak).
“The opening of the second terminal was a big milestone,” Mr Tejedor reflected. “Unlike our APM terminal, TTI is public, so any company that reached an agreement with the terminal can use it. This opened up a lot of opportunities for us to cooperate with other companies.”
The port offers loading and unloading operations for containers, liquids and bulk cargoes, as well as skilled
repairs, both in drydock or afloat.
“In 2023, our Port moved over 100 million tonnes of cargo,” said Mr Tejedor. “And we have more than 5,000 workers employed in the port community, not including the Port Authority itself.”
Algeciras Port has several strategic development plans pending to keep increasing its capabilities. For example, it intends t o further expand in the south of the bay, establishing new outer anchorage and optimising the passage of vessels passing through.
“The objective is separating the vessels that are coming in and out for quick changes, repairs, water inspections and so on, from those coming in to drop anchor in the bay,” explained Mr Tejedor. “This development will improve efficiency and the safety of traffic in the Strait and also avoid vessels burning fuels outside while waiting to berth, reducing emissions.”
Algeciras Port Authority has also invested into AI software to further optimise the turnaround time of vessels, with emissions already reduced by 40% thanks to this innovation.
A special event
In September, COMPORT will attend SMM Hamburg, one of the most important dates in the maritime events calendar.
“For us, it’s a must,” Mr Tejedor said.
The biennial trade show brings together the wider shipping community, and offers attendees the chance to connect via seminars, workshops and networking events.
“SMM Hamburg gives us the opportunity to network with top-class clients,” said Mr Tejedor. “We always attend: Algeciras Port has its own booth with the intention to promote as much as possible what we are up to. We hope to keep the confidence of our current clients, and to attract more traffic by highlighting whatever is new in the port.
“The show is a vital opportunity to meet with shipowners, investment companies and those that need vessels to do various
services. It is a chance to talk in detail about repairs, crew changes, legal systems, ship chandlers, underwater operations and everything else that we do exceptionally well.”
Indeed, one of the particularly significant aspects of the Port of Algeciras, that will be no doubt be highlighted at SMM Hamburg, is that it operates 24/7.
“This is something we always mention,” Mr Tejedor agreed. “Customs is always open, which can be very important to know when it comes to time-sensitive things like collecting spare parts. Anyone can call at 3am and we will answer the phone in as friendly and efficient a manner as at 3pm. That’s really important too – not many ports have constant activity, certainly not in our area.”
A smooth future
Algeciras Port Community has a strong worldwide presence and will continue to expand internationally in the coming years, though there are not many areas in which the Port Community has not already established itself in some form.
“We work out our schedule every year, together with the Port Authority and it usually includes over 40 commercial missions all over the world,” Mr Tejedor explained. “So, there are few markets tha t we are not operating in. For example: this year, we are planning to make a trade mission to the Philippines, though we cooperate with many Filipino companies already.”
Alongside the high quality of its facilities, low cost of its services and 24/7 activity, Algeciras Port is known for taking on challenges and succeeding. For example, the Port of Algeciras kept operating smoothly during the constrains of the Covid pandemic. A mammoth undertaking, this involved navigating hundreds of crew changes alongside sanitation and testing protocols, all with the cooperation of the maritime authorities.
“We never say ‘no,’ though sometimes we might say ‘yes, but…’ and we always find a way,” said Mr Tejedor. “It does not matter what kind of operation it is, any vessel that needs help, we work out how to do it.
This is possible thanks to the skills and experience of the service providers in the port community. And the fact we also work closely with the maritime authorities and remain flexible.”
Indeed, COMPORT’s strong sense of community remains its guiding force and strongest asset.
“We think that if one of us fails, everybody fails,” Mr Tejedor concluded. “Because if a customer has a problem in the port, they are not going to think that that company they worked with failed, they will think the Port of Algeciras failed. They will not remember the company. That is why we all co-operate, to ensure the vessel will return.
“It can be a logistical challenge, but the challenges are the most exciting part of this job for me. As the chairman of COMPORT, it is my role keep the Port Community strong and keep it organised. We like to play smart, play hard and play together.” n
