Infrastructures and capacity
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I_07
General technical characteristics of the port (I_07)
One of Huelva Port Authority’s priorities is to optimise the layout and state of its infrastructures so they adequately meet its customers’ needs.
The general characteristics of the Port of Huelva are as follows:
The port is located where the Tinto and Odiel rivers meet and its land service area has a surface area of 1,716 Ha and an area of 524 Ha that can be used for concessions. The right boundary of that Service Area is the Juan Carlos I breakwater, which is 13 km long, while two parts of the port - the Inner Port and Outer Port - make up the left-hand boundary.
Inner Port
The Inner Port can be divided into two port-use areas (industrial and commercial):
- The area of the Levante Wharf and the North Fishing Industrial Estate, where the main uses are general freight traffic, small-draught cruise ships, fishing industry, service and commercial facilities, and machinery storage and maintenance facilities.
- The Punta de Sebo cross-street area, where until recently the main uses were the basic chemical industry and complementary activities to that sector. Given the drop in the number of basic chemical factories, the auxiliary industry is gradually becoming established there.
In addition to the aforementioned facilities, the Tinto Wetlands come within the port and are a free space where restoration and conservation actions have been carried out.
Outer Port
The Outer Port can also be divided into different areas differentiated by the type of activities:
- The Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo Wharf and its surrounding area, mainly used for solid bulk traffic.
- The concession docks, mainly use for energy liquid bulk traffic.
- The South Wharf, used for container, passenger, Ro-Ro general freight traffic.
- The Monobuoy used for loading and unloading liquid bulk.
Navigatable zones
As regards the waterways, special mention should be made of the entrance channel whose main features are set out in the following table:
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Longitude (Greenwich) | 6º 49’ 32.8” W |
| Latitude | 37º 8’ 6.6” N |
| Tides | |
| Maximum tidal range | 3.81 |
| LLW with respect to port zero | 0.07 |
| HHW with respect to port zero | 4.04 |
| 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 |
*The draft draught is being updated with the bathymetries that are being carried out in the port.
Docks and terminals
The following table summarises the characteristics of the wharfs and terminals that Huelva Port Authority, as the supplier of port infrastructures, provides for maritime trade.
| Docks, Piers and Mooring | Length (m) | Draught (m) | Width (m) | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service | ||||
| Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo Dock | 942.00 | 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 | 400.00 | 8.00 | 80.00 | General goods and cruise ships |
| Levante Central Dock | 90.00 | 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 | - | Bulk liquids (2 berths) |
| 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 | 5,048.00 | |||
| Private | ||||
| Maximum length permitted (m) |
||||
| Nuevo Astillero de Huelva, S.A. Dock | 337.00 (*) | - | Fittings, repairs, breaking | |
| Riotinto Dock | 390.00 (*) | - | Non-operational | |
| Fertiberia, S.L. Pier (phosphorous) | 180.00 | 8.10 | Liquid bulks | |
| Atlantic Copper, S.L.U. North Pier | 140.00 | 6.50 (maximum ship draught regardless of tide) | Liquid bulks | |
| Fertiberia, S.L. Pier (Fertilisers) | 150.00 | 8.10 | Liquid and solid bulks | |
| Impala Terminal | 550.00 (*) | 14.00 | Solid bulks | |
| Levantino-Aragonesa de Tránsitos, S.A. | 120.00 | 9.70 | Liquid bulks | |
| Atlantic Copper, S.L.U. Pier, TNP1 | 175.00 | 10.00 (M: 27.5 m) | Liquid bulks | |
| Atlantic Copper, S.L.U. Pier, TNP2 | 160.00 | 8.00 (Displacement 20.000 Tm) | Liquid bulks | |
| Saltés FPS Dock | 200.00 | 5.50 | Fittings, repairs, breaking | |
| Reina Sofía E Pier, CEPSA | 190.00 | 10.00 | Liquid bulks | |
| Reina Sofía C Pier, CEPSA | 128.00 | 8.50 | Liquid bulks | |
| Reina Sofía W Pier, CEPSA | 150,00 | 9.00 | Liquid bulks | |
| Reina Sofía 4º Pier, CEPSA Mooring | 210.00 | 12.00 (Displacement in load 66,000 Tm) | Liquid bulks | |
| Enagás, S.A. Pier | 305.00 | 12,00 (LNG ships up to 180,000 m3) | Liquid bulks | |
| Decal North Pier | 210.00 | 11.50 | Liquid bulks | |
| Decal South Pier | 210.00 | 12.50 (Displacement in load 66,000 Tm) | Liquid bulks | |
| 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) | |
| Monobuoy | 275.00 | 16.50 | Liquid bulks | |
| TOTAL PRIVATE | 4,190.00 | |||
| TOTAL | 9,238.00 | |||
(*) The draught at any time shall be that of the minimum depth corresponding to the last bathymetric survey carried out and shall be consulted through the authorised agents.
(**) Total length of the dock.
Accesses
The main road connections to the Port of Huelva are the A-49 motorway (Seville-Huelva-Portugal), the N-441 (from the north), H-31 (from the east) and H-30 (Huelva’s eastern roundabout), which runs south as the N-442 to the Outer Port. The N-435 (from Badajoz and Zafra to Huelva) is also important for the Port of Huelva as it connects the port to Extremadura.
Huelva’s outer port is connected along a branch railway line to the general network from its rail terminal on the South Wharf to the Huelva freight rail terminal, the rail logistics centre where goods are shipped, received and classified. The Port of Huelva is connected from Huelva Freight to the Huelva-Zafra and Huelva-Seville railway lines. Since December 2016, the Port has had a terminal at Majarabique which is a traffic distribution hub with the rest of the European and Spanish railway network.
I_08
Infrastructures being built or in the pipeline and their purposes (I_08)
During 2020, Huelva Port Authority invested €41.2 million to refurbish its infrastructures to meet the existing needs.
Completed actions
The following key actions were completed in 2020:
- New fish and seafood exporters’ warehouses
- Access and road reorganisation to the Punta del Sebo future logistics zone (ZAL) (Phase I)
- Demolition of the former Shipyard premises
- Creating plant screens on the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo, Ciudad de Palos and Minerales wharves
- Restoring the Monument to the Faith of the Explorer
A brief description is included below:
New fish and seafood exporters’ warehouses
The building where the work is being carried out is on the Avenida de Enlace No. 44, on the corner with Calle Alonso de Ojeda, and on a plot of 15,117 m2. This building is part of the remodelling of a 65,000 m2 space in the northern part 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 (plot prior to the work being carried out).
New fish and seafood exporters’ warehouses (after the work was completed).
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 to the Outer Port and the Spanish General Highway Network.
The first phase has been completed. It covers the initial 600 metres, from Calle Sabina Negral to the connection with the continuation of Calle Calderón de la Barca, inclusive. It runs through land that is available and regarding which there are no records of any previous past activity.
This new road, which is a dual carriageway, with a 1-m wide divider running down the middle, allows better access and greater mobility through the industry and port area. There are 2.50 m wide parking spaces and 2-m wide pavements on both sides. Lighting, low and medium voltage power supply, sanitation, utilities, telecommunications, traffic lights and sprinkling were also completed.
Access and road reorganisation to the future Punta del Sebo logistics zone (ZAL). Action area prior to the works.
Access and road reorganisation to the future Punta del Sebo logistics zone (ZAL).
Demolition of the former shipyard premises
After the termination of 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 was to demolish the shipyard premises, including the dismantling of all the out-of-service facilities, along with a perimeter enclosure.
Demolition of the former shipyard premises. Premises prior to the works.
Demolition of the former shipyard premises (on completion of the works).
Creating plant screens along 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. A plant screen has been built to reinforce the irrigation system already on the wharves, to thus minimise even further the impact of dust and power on the surrounding areas, in order to improve the zone's environmental conditions and prevent the spread of that material on windy days.
The action consisted 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.
Setting up a plant screen (on completion of the works).
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 have needed to be refurbished, several of the monument's lime blocks replaced and all its stone treated in order to guarantee an appropriate state of upkeep and maintenance of the monument.
Restoring the Monument to the Faith of the Explorer (on completion of the works).
Actions in progress
Other projects which started in previous years and which are ongoing are:
- Collecting water on the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo and Ciudad de Palos Wharves.
- Reorganising access on the South Wharf
- Upgrading and widening the access road to the South Wharf
- Refurbishing the Avenida Francisco Montenegro
- North Expansion of the South Wharf
- Installing a perimeter security system. 2nd phase
Those actions are outlined below:
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 in order to prevent 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.
Collecting water on the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo Wharf (during the works).
Holding Tank (during the works).
Reorganising access on the South Wharf
The works consisted 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 the accesses (during the works).
Upgrading and widening the access road to the South Wharf
The works consisted of upgrading the access road to the South Wharf between Km. 0+000 and Km. 3+640, along with the widening that same road from Km. 3+640 to Km. 7+380.
The first section only requires the road surface to be treated, except in those sections where the platform has been 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 marked off by curbs and markers. The lanes will be 3.30 m 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, along with strengthening the underpass at Km. 4+328 for cranes and vehicles with special loads.
Finally, the power and telecommunications facilities have been connected and the lighting is provided by 12m-high columns with LED lights.
Upgrading and widening the access road to the South Wharf (during the works).
Refurbishing the 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 bring it into the city and for it to no longer be an industrial avenue.
The refurbishing of Avenida Francisco Montenegro included the following actions:
- Making a new two-metre reservation to be landscaped so the avenue blends better into the setting.
- Removing the existing railway line (recovering and reusing the materials).
- Laying pavements with the same surface paving as 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.
- Repositioning the existing fibre cement pipes under the pavement to be demolished and rebuilt.
- Creating parking places wherever possible, particularly in the area around Huelva Yacht Club.
- Refurbishing the timber walkway along the right side of the avenue as per the existing APH study.
- Detailed study of the power lines to ensure they have the necessary power for the designed facilities, which will include lighting using 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 a 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 the pier cap beams of the sheet pilling. The back guideway of the gantry crane is also made out of reinforced concrete and is anchored to 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 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 the 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 fully 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 their facilities.
Installation of 2nd Phase Perimeter Security System (during the works).
With respect to the projects needed to implement some of the aforementioned investments, preparation work was completed in 2020:
- Cold conduction network project
- New RO-RO ramp on the South Wharf project
- Partial demolition of the fish auction house and of the Exporters modules on the Levante Wharf project
- Construction project to allow 550m long trains to operate in the Majarabique complex
- Tharsis Wharf Refurbishment Project
- La Reina Wharf Refurbishment Project
Other projects that began in 2020 and continue at different stages are as follows:
- South Wharf Sanitation connection project
- New Fountain of the Nations Project
- Technological Innovation Hub Project
- Project to adapt the channel to new traffic
- Juan Carlos I mole safety facilities project
I_09
Logistic and Industrial promotion initiatives (I_09)
The mission and vision expressed in the Strategic Plan of the Port explicitly identify improving the connectivity and intermodality of the Port as a determining factor that has caused the Port to focus on its development, particularly regarding 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 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 to the maritime container terminal. (See I_22)
Huelva Port Authority considers the Majarabique Railway Terminal a project integrated with and a true "extension" of its maritime terminal. It is located to the north of Seville, in the Seville and La Rinconada municipal districts, next to the SE-20 and SE-40 ring roads and the northern access road to Seville. It is part of the Seville's railway hub with Madrid and Extremadura. There is thus a direct and efficient rail connection between the Port of Huelva hinterland in the Mediterranean and Atlantic corridors and with Extremadura.
Industrial and logistics promotion initiatives. Majarabique Railway Terminal.
It is a priority for the Port of Huelva to continue consolidating, strengthening and specialising that terminal, as its position makes the Port of Huelva an even more attractive option as the maritime route for rail container loads from the central axis (Cordoba, Linareas, Castilla La Mancha, Madrid and Zaragoza), to Atlantic ports (including Canary Islands, West Africa, Central and South America, and North-Western Europe), resulting in optimised times and costs in the complete logistics chain.
Special mention should be made of the Port Authority's investment effort in Majarabique and the Seville-Huelva rail section, which stands at €3 million in Majarabique and €11 million in the rail section, with new sidings being built to streamline the transport of the freight to its destination.
On 23 January 2017, the ADIF (Spanish railway infrastructure manager) and Huelva Port Authority signed the Lease for a Plot of Land on which to build a Rail Freight Loading and Unloading Port at the Majarbique Faciity in Seville, with a surface area of 23,400 m2.
The contract to run the railway terminal was awarded to the successful bidder, Termisur Eurocargo, S.A., who started operations in July 2017. Since then and up to the present, the container rail traffic from Majarabique to 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.
According to the business plan of the companies involved, the traffic is expected to be consolidated this year, with thirty Majarabique-South Wharf direct trains a month. This would account for 75% of the Port of Huelva's container rail traffic and is therefore a decisive step in the consolidation of Majarbique as a key intermodal platform in the transporting of freight in south-west Europe.
Majarabique's strategic importance led to the Port of Huelva joining the Andalusian Logistics Network in November 2020. The Autonomous Government of Andalusia is interested in developing that Logistic area and its Cabinet approved and declared the project to be of general interest on 6 November 2018.
Railway connections
Three times a week:
- Majarabique – Port of Huelva
RENFE Multi-clients. Three times a week. Majarabique connection with:
- Madrid Abroñigal
- Barcelona Morrot
- Tarragona Constanti
- Bilbao Freight
- Bilbao Noatum
Once a week:
- Madrid – Majarabique – Port of Huelva
The Logistics Zone (ZAL), essential for the future development of the Port of Huelva and its whole catchment area has a surface area of approximately 60 ha, with expansion possibilities, and is located at 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, 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 2020 with institutions such as AIQBE (Huelva Association of Chemical, Basic and Energy Industries), IDEA Agency and “Invest in Andalusia”, Professional Association of Industrial Engineers of Western Andalusia. The FOCOMAR project was completed in cooperation with the Huelva Chamber of Commerce, whose last activity was to hold a specific session on the Port of Huelva ZAL and which brought together different key stakeholders. The overall aim was to integrate the logistic and industrial projects of the Port Community's companies in the Port planning, along with promoting the land available in the Service Zone to attract new investments.
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