The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) has received the general director of HMM Europe, Alex Seo, during a visit focused on analyzing the current challenges in the maritime sector and the advancements in the expansion project of the semiautomatic terminal of TTI Algeciras, one of the two large container terminals at the Port of Algeciras. Seo was accompanied by the commercial director (CCO) of TTI Algeciras, Yong Son, and during the meeting the delegation learned firsthand about the operations of the Process Coordination Center (CCP), where APBA officials presented the work lines aimed at improving operational efficiency indices, the commitment to technological innovation, and projects linked to the Green Energy Hub.
The visit comes after the recent approval by the APBA Board of Directors for the modification of the concession of TTI Algeciras and its extension until 2066, a decision that guarantees the permanence and long-term projection of the terminal in the port enclave of the Strait of Gibraltar. The concession extension for an additional period of 40 years entails an investment of 135 million euros from the two main shareholders of the terminal, the South Korean shipping company HMM and the French shipping group CMA CGM, the two operators that support the activity of TTI Algeciras since its inception.
The expansion project includes the addition of 15.9 additional hectares to the current operational surface area of the terminal, corresponding to Phase B of Isla Verde Exterior. With this extension, TTI Algeciras will increase from the 30 hectares it currently operates to almost 46 hectares, an increase of more than 50% of its surface area that will allow for both an expansion of storage capacity and the available docking line for the simultaneous operation of container ships.
Thanks to these improvements, the terminal expects to reach an operational capacity of 2.1 million TEUs annually by 2028, representing an increase of half a million TEUs compared to its current capacity. This quantitative leap will position TTI Algeciras to absorb a considerably larger volume of traffic than it currently manages, at a time when shipping alliances are reconfiguring their service networks and selecting the ports that will be part of their operational structures.
The presence of HMM and CMA CGM as reference shareholders of TTI Algeciras gives the terminal a direct link with two of the world's leading shipping companies. HMM, part of THE Alliance, and CMA CGM, a member of the Ocean Alliance, channel a significant volume of global container traffic through their respective service networks, which guarantees the terminal in Algeciras a flow of regular calls from large ships. The approved investment of 135 million euros for the expansion reflects the confidence of both companies in the potential of the Port of Algeciras as a transshipment node on routes between Asia, Europe, Africa, and America.
Since its opening in 2010, TTI Algeciras has managed more than 18 million TEUs, a figure that reflects the growth trajectory of a terminal that in just fifteen years of operation has established itself as a fundamental piece of the Algeciras port system. The terminal operates as a semiautomatic facility, a model that combines the automation of certain processes with human intervention in the operational phases that require greater flexibility, allowing it to achieve competitive productivity rates in the context of the major transshipment ports in the Mediterranean.
The president of the APBA, Gerardo Landaluce, has noted that the expansion of TTI Algeciras "represents a strategic project to serve our customers and the logistics chains that trust in the efficiency and security represented by the Port of Algeciras and its Port Community." Landaluce's statement places the project within the framework of the Port Authority's overall strategy to maintain and enhance the competitiveness of the port compared to other major hubs in the Mediterranean, in an environment where operational efficiency and terminal capacity are determining factors for attracting transshipment traffic.
Alex Seo's visit to the Process Coordination Center allowed the HMM Europe executive to understand the operational management model that the APBA has developed for coordinating the various agents involved in the port logistics chain. The CCP functions as the nerve center for the port's operational information, integrating data from terminals, port services, shipping companies, and logistics operators to facilitate real-time decision-making and improve ship turnaround times at the port.
The presentation of the Green Energy Hub projects during the visit highlighted the environmental dimension of the APBA's strategy, which combines the growth of operational capacity with initiatives aimed at decarbonizing port operations. The expansion of TTI Algeciras will occur in a context where the electrification of the docks, the supply of alternative fuels, and the reduction of the carbon footprint of operations are increasingly pressing requirements from both European regulations and the shipping companies themselves, which are incorporating sustainability criteria in selecting the ports where their ships operate.
The extension of the concession until 2066 provides TTI Algeciras with a time horizon of four decades to capitalize on the investment and consolidate its position in a sector where long-term planning is essential, given the magnitude of the investments required in infrastructure and equipment. For the Port of Algeciras, the expansion of one of its two large container terminals represents a substantial increase in its total handling capacity, which will be added to the activity of the terminal operated by APM Terminals at the Juan Carlos I dock.