Infrastructures and capacity
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I_07
General technical characteristics of the port
One of the Huelva Port Authority’s priority functions is to optimise the layout and status of its infrastructures in such a way that they properly meet the needs of its customers.
The general characteristics of the Port of Huelva are as follows:
It is located at the confluence of the River Tinto and River Odiel, and its land Service Zone has a surface area of 1,716 Ha and a concessions surface area of 524 Ha. To the right of the Service Zone is the Juan Carlos I sand containment breakwater, which is 13 km in length, and to the left are the two harbours: the Inner Harbour and the Outer Harbour.
Inner Harbour
The Inner Harbour has two separate industrial and commercial areas:
- The area around Levante Dock and the Pesquero Norte Complex, chiefly used for traffic of general goods, small cruise ships, the fishing industry, commercial facilities, services and areas for maintenance and storage of machinery.
- The transversal area Punta del Sebo which, until very recently, was chiefly used for the basic chemicals industry and ancillary activities. When numbers of basic chemicals factories fell, auxiliary industrial facilities were gradually implemented.
Next to these facilities within the port area are the Tinto Marshes, a free space where action has been taken to retrieve and upgrade the land.
Outer Harbour
The Outer Harbour also has different areas depending on the type of activity:
- The area around Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo Dock, mainly used for traffic of solid bulk goods.
- The area of concession piers, mainly used for liquid energy bulk traffic.
- The South Dock, used for traffic of containers, passengers, ro-ro vessels and general goods.
- The “CALM” mooring used for loading and unloading liquid bulk goods.
Navigatable zones
Concerning navigatable zones, the main characteristics of the navigation channel are shown in the table below:
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Longitude (Greenwich) | 6º 49’ 32.8” W |
| Latitude | 37º 8’ 6.6” N |
| Tides | |
| Maximum tidal range | 3,65 |
| LLW with respect to port zero | 0,06 |
| HHW with respect to port zero | 4,16 |
| Prevailing winds | SW and NW |
| Entrances | |
| Entrance channel | |
| Width | 200 - 300 m |
| Draught referred to LLW | 13 m |
| Bottom | Sand and sludge |
| Length | 15,000 m |
| Entrance mouth | |
| Orientation | 339º |
| Width | 300 m |
| Draught | 13 m |
| Maximum current recorded | 5 knots |
| Breakwaters | |
| Juan Carlos I Breakwater | Length 13,000 m |
Docks and terminals
The table below shows the characteristics of the docks and terminals which the Huelva Port Authority furnishes for maritime trading purposes in its capacity as a provider of port infrastructures.
| Docks, Piers and Mooring | Length (m) | Draught (m) | Width (m) | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service | ||||
| Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo Dock | 954.00 | 13.00 | 230.00 | General goods and bulk goods |
| Ciudad de Palos Dock | 492.00 | 13.00 | 320.00 | General goods and bulk goods |
| Levante Sur Dock | 403.00 | 8.00 | 80.00 | General goods and cruise ships |
| Levante Central Dock | 87.00 | 8.00 | 80.00 | Local and ancillary transit |
| Levante Norte Dock | 710.00 | 8.00 | 80.00 | Fishing and internal traffic |
| Petroleros T. Arenillas Dock | 460.00 | 12.60 | - | General goods and bulk goods |
| Minerals Dock | 374.00 | 13.00 | 50.00 | General goods and bulk goods |
| Southern Dock | 750.00 | 13.00 | 300.00 | Transit, general goods, ro-ro and containers |
| Tharsis Dock | 280.00 | - | - | Non-operational |
| Northern mooring buoys | 200.00 | 7.00 | - | - |
| Central mooring buoys | 200.00 | 6.00 | - | - |
| Southern mooring buoys | 150.00 | 5.00 | - | - |
| TOTAL SERVICE | 4,884.00 | |||
| Private | ||||
| Maximum length permitted (m) | ||||
| Policedencias España, S.L. Dock | 337.00 (*) | - | Fittings, repairs, breaking | |
| Riotinto Dock | 390.00 (*) | - | Non-operational | |
| Fertiberia, S.L. Pier (phosphorous) | 180.00 | 8.10 | Liquid bulk | |
| Atlantic Copper, S.L.U. Norte Pier | 140.00 | 6,50 (maximum ship draught regardless of tide) | Liquid bulk | |
| Fertiberia, S.L. Pier (Fertilisers) | 150.00 | 8.10 | Liquid and solid bulk | |
| Impala Terminal | 550.00 (*) | 14.00 | Solid bulk | |
| Levantino-Aragonesa de Tránsitos, S.A. | 120.00 | 9.70 | Liquid bulk | |
| Atlantic Copper, S.L.U. Pier, TNP1 | 175.00 | 10.00 (M: 27.5 m) | Liquid bulk | |
| Atlantic Copper, S.L.U. Pier, TNP2 | 160.00 | 8.00 (displacement 20,000 Mt) | Liquid bulk | |
| Saltés FPS Pier | 200.00 | 5.50 | Fittings, repairs | |
| Reina Sofía E Pier, CEPSA | 190.00 | 10.00 | Liquid bulk | |
| Reina Sofía C Pier, CEPSA | 128.00 | 8.50 | Liquid bulk | |
| Reina Sofía W Pier, CEPSA | 150.00 | 9.00 | Liquid bulk | |
| Reina Sofía 4 Pier, CEPSA Mooring | 210.00 | 12.00 (load shifting 66,000 Tm) | Liquid bulk | |
| Enagás, S.A. Pier | 305.00 | 12.00 (LNG ships up to 180,000 m3) | Liquid bulk | |
| Decal North Pier | 210.00 | 11.50 | Liquid bulk | |
| Decal South Pier | 210.00 | 12.50 (load shifting 66,000 Mt) | Liquid bulk | |
| Decal-Gabarras Pier | 82.00 | 9.00 | Fuel supply | |
| Huelva Royal Maritime Club | 8.00 | 2.00 | Miscellaneous | |
| La Rábida Dock | 20.00 | 2.00 | Auxiliary (1 mooring) | |
| “CALM” mooring | 275.00 | 20.00 | Liquid bulk | |
| TOTAL PRIVATE | 4,190.00 | |||
| TOTAL | 9,174.00 | |||
(*) Total length of the dock
Accesses
The main accesses to Huelva Port by road are the A-49 (Sevilla-Huelva-Portugal), via the N-441 (from the North), H-31 (from the East) and the H-30 (Huelva’s “Ronda Este”), which extends further south with the N-442, which provides access to the Outer Harbour. The N-345 (from Badajoz and Zafra to Huelva) is also important to Huelva Port in terms of its connection to Extremadura.
Through its connection to the main network, Huelva Port’s outer harbour has a rail connection from its Southern Dock to the Huelva rail goods terminal, known as “Huelva Mercancías”, a rail logistics centre which dispatches, receives and classifies goods. The terminal gives Huelva Port access to the Huelva-Zafra and Huelva-Sevilla railway lines. Since 2016 the port has had a terminal in Majarabique operating as a node to distribute traffic to the rest of the Spanish and European rail networks.
I_08
Infrastructures under construction or planned and the purposes they serve
In 2019 the Huelva Port Authority invested 20.5 million euros to bring its infrastructures into line with its current requirements.
Projects completed
A total of five projects were completed, as follows:
- Creating a forecourt for Ro-Ro freight intermodal traffic on the South Wharf.
- Repairing the Juan Carlos I breakwater after the 2018 storms.
A brief description is included below:
Creating a forecourt for Ro-Ro freight intermodal traffic on the South Wharf
The work consisted of creating the forecourt to the south of the South Wharf as an area for vehicle and cargo RO-RO loading/unloading operations.
A surface area of 53,625 m2 was laid out and paved, with two clear areas for storage or parking:
- Outdoor vehicle parking prior to the inspection checks with room for 75 lorries and 19 light vehicles.
- Indoor vehicle parking with restricted access after the inspection checks, with room for 176 semi-trailers and 264 light vehicles.
The paving is hot bituminous concrete-type compounds on a base of aggregate.
The development was completed with the infrastructures required for the planned use of this area: drainage, sanitation and supply facilities, lighting, communications and control. The enclosures, signage and beaconing were also carried out.
Image 1: Area of operation prior to the works
Image 2: Completed works
Repairing the Juan Carlos I breakwater after the 2018 storms.
As the result of Storm Emma, at the end of February and in early March 2018, the whole infrastructure of the Juan Carlos I breakwater and surrounding area had to be repaired.
Therefore, the damage has been redressed by adding similar blocks to the existing cubic ones and with a volume of 4.62 cubic metres where blocks were lost. Between 4,000 and 6,000 kg of rock fill was laid, along with other actions such as erecting wild animal fencing, access gates and facilities area, and replacing the artificial aggregate layer at the top of Complex 4.
Repairing the Juan Carlos I breakwater after the 2018 storms
Ongoing projects
Other projects which began in 2018 and are still ongoing are as follows:
- New fish and seafood exporters’ warehouses
- Collecting water on the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo and Ciudad de Palos Wharves
- Access and road reorganisation to the future logistics zone (ZAL) of Punta del Sebo Phase 1.
There follows a brief description of these projects:
New fish and seafood exporters’ warehouses.
The building in question is at Avenida de Enlace no. 44, on the corner with Calle Alonso de Ojeda, on a plot of 15,117 m2. This building is part of the remodelling of a 65000- m2 space in the northern area of the Levante Wharf. On the one hand, this will help to readapt the old fisheries infrastructures on the Wharf, to resize them to current economic activity and, in turn, to open up the port area to the general public.
The building houses 41 modules for exporters, three empty premises and spaces for the agents operating in the zone, along with areas for the general public, with a bike lane connecting the venue to the city. In general, its ground floor is 6,485.96 m2 used for logistics, a first floor measuring 3,208.18 m2, a second floor of 183.62 m2 and a third floor with a built surface area of 98.90 m2, with a terrace available for users.
New fish and seafood exporters’ warehouses
Collecting water on the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo and Ciudad de Palos Wharves
The work consists of setting up a new rainwater drainage network on the Wharves, which prevents the rainwater flowing directly into the river estuary.
New manifolds with decanting stormwater drains, new surface paving to adapt it to the new slopes needed, and a large stormwater tank to regularise the water are being built.
In turn, new piping to supply raw water is also being installed to clean and flush the operations surface of the wharf and fibre optic and electricity piping will be restored.
Image 5: Collecting water on the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo
Image 6: Tanque de Retención (durante las obras)
Access and road reorganisation to the future logistics zone (ZAL) of Punta del Sebo Phase 1
The work consists of creating a new access route for heavy vehicles to the Punta del Sebo Industrial Estate from the H-30, which will allow the companies on the industrial estate and in the future logistics zone to be connected with the Outer Port and the Spanish General Highway Network.
This first phase involves the initial 600 metres from Calle Sabina Negral to the connection with the extension of the Calle Calderón de la Barca, inclusive. That work is on available land and regarding which there are no records of former activity being located there.
This new road, which will allow better access and greater mobility through the industry and port area, is a dual carriageway, with each side having two lanes, separated by a 1-m wide divider. There are 2.50 m wide parking spaces and 2-m wide pavements on both sides. Lighting, low and medium voltage, sanitation, utilities, telecommunications, traffic lights and sprinkling are also planned.
.
Image 7: Access and road reorganisation to the future logistics zone (ZAL) of Punta del Sebo. Communications Network Implementation (during the works)
The most important actions that were started in 2019 and where work continues are:
- Reorganising access on the South Wharf
- Upgrading and widening the access road to the South Wharf
- Refurbishing Avenida Francisco Montenegro
- North expansion of the South Wharf
- Installing a perimeter security system. 2nd phase
- Demolition of the former Shipyard premises
- Restoring the Monument to the Faith of the Explorer
- Creating plant screens on the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo, Ciudad de Palos and Minerales wharves
Those actions are outlined below:
Reorganising access on the South Wharf
The works consistes of reorganising and developing a 50,197 m2 port area, including the access road to the loading area and to the future terminal, along with the prior inspection controls at the restricted loading area of the Maritime Terminal.
The paving is designed with a road surface of hot bituminous concrete-type compounds, except for the inspection control area prior to the restricted loading area which has concrete paving. The development was completed with the infrastructures required for the planned use of this area: drainage, sanitation and supply facilities, lighting, communications and control. The project also includes enclosures, signage and beaconing, and defining the control areas (concourses, control equipment, ancillary buildings).
Reorganising accesses (during works)
Upgrading and widening the access road to the South Wharf
The works consistes of upgrading the access road to the South Wharf between pk 0+000 and pk 3+640, along with widening that same road from pk 3+640 to pk 7+380.
The first section only requires the road surface to be treated, except in those sections where the platform is widened due to upgrading intersections. The second section requires the platform to be widened to a total width of 18 m so that there is room for 2 two-lane carriageways, with each having a central separation of 80 cm demarcated by curbs and markers. The lanes will be 3.30 m wide to keep the speed low.
On the other hand, a series of underpasses is planned to solve the intersection crossing in order to ensure that the road does not have any gauge limitations. The underpass is to be strengthened at p.k. 4+328 for cranes and vehicles with special loads.
Finally, the power and telecommunications facilities will be connected and the section lit by means of 12m-high columns with LED lights.
Upgrading and widening the access road to the South Wharf (during works)
Refurbishing Avenida Francisco Montenegro
Avenida Francisco Montenegro is the main road that connects the city of Huelva and the inner port to the outer port. The avenue is nearly 5 km long and it is not currently suitable for pedestrians along its whole length.
The work consists of refurbishing and developing this Avenue and the edge of the frontages of the adjoining plots in order to fuse it with the city and for it to no longer be an industrial avenue.
The refurbishing of Avenida Francisco Montenegro includes the following actions:
- Making a new two-metre reservation to be landscaped so the avenue better blends into the setting.
- Removing the existing railway line (recovering and reusing the materials).
- Laying pavements with the same surface paving to that on the righthand side of the avenue.
- Concrete pavement milling and laying a new bearing layer with SMA 11, with low noise impact and proven durability.
- Relaying the existing fibre cement pipes under the pavement to be demolished and rebuilt.
- Creating parking places wherever possible, particularly in the area around the Huelva Yacht Club.
- Refurbishing the timber walkway along the right side of the avenue according to the study at the APH.
- Detailed study of the power lines to ensure they have the necessary power for the designed facilities, which will include lighting that is in keeping the type of lamps recently installed in the area.
- Aesthetics and landscaping, creating gardening similar to the one to be found locally and "green screens" on the left side.
- Landscaping slopes and green areas and creating recreational spaces.
Refurbishing of Avenida Francisco Montenegro (during the works)
North expansion of the South Wharf
The works consists of expanding the current South Wharf of the Port of Huelva, along 526 m. The type of structure will be a screen wharf with a main screen anchored to an anchoring screen on the base slab. Both screens will be sheet piles.
The work initially envisages two different draught areas, one 10m draught (southern half) and another with 6m draught (northern half). However, the wharf design allows its draught to be adapted to the future needs of Huelva Port Authority up to a maximum of 17 metre draught.
The crest elevation of the wharf is +6.50 m (approximately, given that the surface has drainage slopes). The capping beam and the back guideway of the container cranes are made out of reinforced concrete and they function as pier cap beams of the sheet pilling. The back guideway of the gantry crane is also made out of reinforced concrete and is anchored on reinforced concrete pillars.
Furthermore, an area has been paved and is 40.75 m wide including the capping beam and the guideways using 0.28m thick HP-40 reinforced concrete on a quarry run forecourt that is 1.00 m thick. The finish is provisional with a 1.25 m thick layer of quarry run.
North expansion of the South Wharf (during works)
Installing a perimeter security system. 2nd phase
In 2016, Huelva Port Authority instigated a prior assessment of its protection and security needs, which led to the tendering of works for the "Installation of a Perimeter Security System for the Port of Huelva. Phase 1", which were implemented during the first half of 2017. They basically consisted of conveniently demarcating and protecting the perimeter and entrances of the Outer Port.
Phase 2 of the Perimeter Security Project was carried out in order to complete the installation and provide the perimeter demarcating the Outer Port Service Zone with a greater degree of protection. That involved installing a new fibre optic line, along with new protection and surveillance elements integrated with the existing ones.
Thus, the perimeter security of the port is approached from a converging, global and integral way; by integrating all the electronic and mechanical elements and systems, whose mission is to protect virtual, logical or physical perimeters to detect, stop and dissuade possible intrusion into the facilities.
Installing a perimeter security system
Demolition of the former Shipyards
After terminating the contract for the current Shipyard facilities at the Port of Huelva, further actions are envisaged for the zone and some of the premises located on the Avenida de Enlace needed to be demolished.
The aim of the action is to demolish the Shipyard premises, including the dismantling of all the out-of-services premises, along with a perimeter enclosure.
Demolition of the former Shipyards
Restoring the Monument to the Faith of the Explorer
The Monument to the Faith of the Explorer, located at the Punta del Sebo, is popularly known as the Monument to Columbus. It is a highly iconic monument in Huelva that is dedicated to the discovery of America.
In recent years, the monument has been damaged, mainly due to environmental and climate factors and the deterioration of its materials.
Most of the mountings need to be refurbished, several of the monument's lime blocks replaced and all the stone treated in order to guarantee an appropriate state of upkeep and maintenance of the monument.
Restoring the monument
Creating plant screens on the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo, Ciudad de Palos and Minerales wharves
The northern area of the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo Wharf, along with the Ciudad de Palos and Minerales wharves are used to stockpile bulk material. With the aim of improving the zone's environmental conditions and prevent the spread of dust and powder on windy days, a plant screen is going to be built to reinforce the sprinkling system already on the wharves, to minimise even further the impact of that type of material on the surrounding areas.
The action consists of planting 1,700 large trees, setting up a sprinkling system and relocating and protecting a series of services that will be affected by the screen.
With respect to the projects drafted in 2019, in addition to those needed for some of the aforementioned investments, work has begun on preparing the following projects.
- Cold piping network
- New RO-RO ramp on the south wharf
- Partial demolition of the fish auction house and of the Exporters modules on the Levante Wharf
- Construction project to allow 550-m long trains to operate in the Majarabique complex
I_09
Logistic and industrial promotion initiatives
The mission and vision in the Port’s Strategic Plan of the Port explicitly consider the better connectivity and intermodality of the Port as a determining factor that has caused the Port to focus on its development, particularly in terms of rail transport.
The strategic relevance of the intermodality at the Port of Huelva is currently based on four cornerstones:
- The Majarabique Intermodal Railway Platform, located in Seville and owned by the Huelva Port Authority.
- The Logistics Zone (ZAL), currently in the pipeline, and which will allow the convergence of different types of companies and activities that provide continuity, quality services, transformation and added value to the transport chains to be found in the port space.
- The Port's rail connectivity and infrastructure, which will ensure more sustainable and efficient access to the maritime transport. (See I_22)
- The Port of Huelva Multimodal Platform, co-funded by the CEF (Connecting Europe Facility) Programme and located on the South Wharf at the Port with direct connection of the maritime container terminal. (See I_22)
Logistic and industrial promotion initiatives
The Majarabique Railway Terminal was awarded by public tender to Termisur Eurocargo, S.A., which began to operate the terminal in July 2017. Huelva Port Authority considers it a project integrated with and a true "extension" of its maritime terminal. It is located on the Seville rail hub with Madrid and Extremadura, meaning that it provides a direct and efficient rail connection with the Port of Huelva's hinterland.
The container rail traffic at the Port of Huelva is close to forty trains a month, with an average of twenty direct trains between Majarabique and the South Wharf of the Port of Huelva, along with the twenty trains a month that arrive directly from the Madrid hinterland.
The Logistics Zone (ZAL), essential for the future development of the Port of Huelva and its whole hinterlan,d has a surface area of approximately 60 ha, with possibilities for expansion. It is located at the Punta del Sebo, an industrial area with available land with services and good road and rail access.
The ZAL will be in a pivotal position between the Port of Huelva and the urban area, which will allow the convergence of different types of companies and activities to provide continuity, quality services, transformation and added value to the transport chains that converge in the port area, along with driving job creation, consolidating the loyalty of the current traffic and promoting new future traffic.
This project is fundamental to generate added value in Huelva and to foster the development of the business fabric and the generation of stable employment, with a clean transformation industry.
Furthermore, as regards industrial promotion, different task forces were set up in 2019 with institutions such as AIQBE (Huelva Association of Energy, Basic and Chemical Industries), IDEA Agency and "Invest in Andalucía", the Western Andalusia Professional Association of Industrial Engineers, etc., in order to integrate the logistic and industrial projects of the Port Community companies in the Port planning, along with promoting the available land in the Service Area to attract new investments.
Logistic and industrial promotion initiatives
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