Ignacio Álvarez-Ossorio, general director of the Public Agency of Ports of Andalusia and the Logistics Network of Andalusia, participated in a lunch-colloquium of the Propeller Club of Algeciras where he addressed the main logistical and rail challenges facing the autonomous community and, in particular, the Bay of Algeciras. Under the title "Land infrastructures supporting port activity. The case of Andalusia and the Bay of Algeciras," the Andalusian official offered a detailed diagnosis of the connectivity shortcomings that condition the development of the port system in the area, although he specified at the beginning of his speech that the shared reflections responded to opinions expressed in a personal capacity and not in the institutional representation of the organizations he directs.
Álvarez-Ossorio defended the need to strengthen what he called "logistic hardware"—infrastructures, connectivity, and industrial land—as a strategic element for the future of the Andalusian and European port system. In his analysis, he insisted that port and territory must be understood as an integrated and synergistic system, and identified three fundamental areas: the physical connectivity of ports, the availability of logistic land and port activities in the secondary line, and the development of productive activities capable of generating new maritime traffic.
The freight railway focused a good part of the colloquium. Álvarez-Ossorio stated that the great challenge of the Port of Algeciras remains practically the same as it was more than a century ago: to have competitive and sufficient rail connections. "If we want to continue playing in the European port top division, it is essential to improve rail connectivity and have alternative routes," he said, warning of the operational and strategic risks that dependence on a single rail outlet poses for companies and international operators.
In this context, he pointed out the convenience of studying new complementary rail connections for the Bay of Algeciras, in addition to the improvements currently planned for the Algeciras-Bobadilla line—where the Ministry of Transport has just authorized more than 72.4 million euros for its modernization—mentioning possible alternatives to Jerez or Málaga. He also recalled that other Andalusian ports, such as Motril, are also working to improve their rail access to the interior.
The speaker addressed the structural limitations of the Spanish and Andalusian railway network, marked by historical problems arising from the coexistence of different track gauges, incompatible signaling systems, and fragmented planning between infrastructures, terminals, and logistics corridors. Álvarez-Ossorio defended the need to move towards a "more mesh-like, flexible, and resilient" network, with alternative routes and intermodal nodes capable of ensuring the operational continuity of freight transport. He also warned about the risk of territorial imbalance between western and eastern Andalusia due to the scarcity of logistics and intermodal terminals in certain provinces.
Regarding ongoing projects, he reviewed some of the actions currently being developed by the Logistics Network of Andalusia, including the logistics areas of San Roque, Antequera, Córdoba-Higuerón, Majarabique, Granada, and Níjar. In the Bay of Algeciras, the speaker highlighted the momentum experienced in the last two years by the Logistics Area of San Roque, where new operators related to rail and maritime traffic are already being implemented. Among them, he mentioned the Maersk project, which has rented the rail platform of the intermodal area adjacent to the Adif terminal.
Álvarez-Ossorio also explained that the Andalusian logistics strategy includes identifying more than 500 additional hectares of strategic land for the Bay of Algeciras by 2040, aligned with the planning of the Port Authority and intended for logistics, industrial, and added-value activities linked to the port. This planning aims to allow agile responses to new business opportunities and international investments, reducing current administrative and urban planning deadlines. "The windows of opportunity in this type of project are very short, and administrations must be able to respond in competitive times," he explained.
The Andalusian official also addressed the need to enable new outdoor spaces for truck parking, customs services, and complementary activities to the port, as well as the convenience of improving administrative coordination and moving towards management models with greater decision-making capacity and flexibility for strategic projects.
The lunch-colloquium had a wide representation of professionals and executives from the port, logistics, and business sectors of the Campo de Gibraltar, as part of the activity program that the Propeller Club of Algeciras develops as a forum for analysis and debate on the logistical and maritime future of the Strait.