The president of the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA), Gerardo Landaluce, confirmed in an interview on Radio Algeciras that the railway connection between Algeciras and Madrid will remain cut off, according to the current schedule, until September 2027. This situation, caused by the accumulation of damage arising from the DANA and the storm trains affecting the road infrastructures, as well as the ongoing conditioning works, leaves the main port of the Mediterranean without its primary land connection to the interior of the Peninsula for more than two years.
"It is not a new issue that it would have been necessary to establish some cuts, but everything related to the conditioning works between the DANA and the storm trains, the extension of which is delaying those cuts and creating an absolutely concerning situation," Landaluce noted. The president of the APBA clarified that, as of today, and unless any rescheduling occurs, the outlook they have does not contemplate the recovery of that direct connection before September 2027.
The paralysis of railway traffic has direct consequences on port operations. According to Landaluce, there is currently no train activity at the rail-port terminal, whose operating company, ALSA, has been forced to apply a temporary employment regulation file (ERTE). Nevertheless, he pointed out that work is being done on complementary activities related to the logistics sector to allow for some continuity in the terminal's operations aside from the railway.
The impact on the roads constitutes another reason for concern. Landaluce has conveyed a direct estimate: if the volume of goods that circulated by rail in 2025 is taken as a reference, the transfer to the road would imply between 15,000 and 20,000 additional trucks. "For the road in general, it is evidently not good news," admitted the president of the APBA, who emphasized that this circumstance represents a loss of competitiveness for the port.
In parallel, the Port Authority is exploring logistical alternatives that combine road and rail for certain goods. Landaluce mentioned the possibility of using the La Negrilla junction in Seville to reach destinations like Zaragoza or Barcelona via the Extremadura line. However, he acknowledged that these are very specific solutions limited to loads that do not require urgency and do not present a high weight. "The main connection that we have, which is the Algeciras-Madrid line, is cut off under these circumstances until, in principle, September 2027," he reiterated.
The affected traffic includes both containerized goods for export and import, one of the strategic lines of the port included in its new strategic plan, as well as roll-on/roll-off traffic linked to the Europe-Africa sea bridge. Landaluce took the opportunity to demand that the tender for the electrification of the Algeciras-Bobadilla section be accelerated "once and for all", an infrastructure long demanded by the sector.
The president of the APBA explained that the port authority had planned a window of railway activity during the summer, coinciding with the so-called peak season of containerized traffic and the needs of major clients of the port. The new situation has closed that window, forcing a rescheduling of commercial activity. Landaluce has assured that the commitment and facilitation by the Port Authority are "one hundred percent" and that the officials of the organization are working to ensure that this commercial activity is sustainable, aligning the interests of the service provider, ALSA, and the clients. In that context, the flexible ERTE agreed upon, which allows for the exploration of complementary logistical activities, is also framed.
Regarding road infrastructures, Landaluce addressed the situation of access to the port. He pointed out that an important operation has begun which, according to the commitment from the General Directorate of Roads, must conclude before June 30. These works are causing difficulties for transporters, who must take longer routes to access the port facilities. Regarding the N-340 road, the president of the APBA has expressed particular concern about the Algeciras-Tarifa connection and the problem of the traffic light, of which he indicated that there is no clear visibility on when it could be resolved. "We hope that the corresponding works will be expedited and that we have as calm a summer as possible," he stated.
Landaluce has made a general reflection on the importance of timely execution of the region's infrastructures. "We are a tool at the service of the economy, and if we cannot provide that service to the maximum, we will be losing competitiveness and opportunities," he affirmed. He insisted that the port is part of a logistics chain and that difficulties on the land side prevent full utilization of the potential offered by the maritime side.
Finally, the president of the APBA confirmed the organization's participation in a European Union project called Pact for the Mediterranean, to which they have been invited through the Association of Mediterranean Ports (MEDPorts), of which the APBA holds the vice-presidency. Within this initiative, different economic and professional associations contribute their views to define European policy in the Mediterranean environment, an area that Landaluce has described as strategic and in which port activity is, according to his words, "critical."