The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) is working on the development of its Climate Change Adaptation Plan (PACC), a strategic initiative aimed at improving the resilience of the port in the face of the evolution of climate risks and ensuring operational continuity in an increasingly demanding environment.
The recent episodes of heavy rain, strong winds, and adverse wave conditions recorded in Andalusia and the Strait of Gibraltar have highlighted the importance of anticipating the effects associated with extreme phenomena. These events have allowed for direct observation of how weather conditions can influence port operations and have underscored the need to continue progressing in adaptive planning based on technical knowledge and institutional cooperation.
The PACC of the APBA is supported by two fundamental tools that guarantee its methodological rigor and alignment with the policies of the Spanish port system. On one hand, the Port Authority maintains a collaboration agreement with the Polytechnic University of Madrid, which provides specialized scientific and technical support for the identification of vulnerabilities and the development of adaptation pathways. On the other hand, the process is carried out in coordination with the State Ports, an organization that promotes a common tool for assessing climate risks intended for all Port Authorities, allowing for the application of homogeneous and comparable criteria throughout the state port system.
The Plan includes a structured diagnosis that analyzes relevant climate threats, identifies critical variables, and evaluates possible modes of failure that could affect infrastructures, operations, and port services. To this end, the PACC includes a geospatial catalog that collects the complete inventory of the port and its areas, with its infrastructure typologies and possible modes of failure and associated stoppages due to various climate agents. This information has been integrated into a visual tool that allows for better understanding and management of risk.
Likewise, the initiative incorporates the participation of the port community, promoting a collaborative process aimed at strengthening a shared culture of resilience and adaptation. At the end of 2025, interviews were conducted with the main actors involved, whose information is currently being systematized and analyzed.
The PACC also includes the development of a specific methodology to assess the consequences of impacts. By combining technical data, perception from the port community, and prediction instruments, the project will identify where it is necessary to prioritize investment and strengthen the adaptive capacity of the system.
With this Plan, the APBA seeks proactive, responsible management oriented toward the long term, aiming to consolidate the reliability and competitiveness of the port as a strategic infrastructure for international maritime trade.