The boost that the new accesses to the port of Barcelona must provide for the transport of goods by train requires the fundamental participation of the two actors directly involved: the port itself and the Railway Infrastructure Administrator (Adif). Despite the fact that there are still a few years left for the pending infrastructure to become a reality, both parties are aware of the need to start thinking about management and yesterday they signed before a notary the creation of a joint company integrated 50% by the Barcelona Port Authority and Adif.
Under the name Train Port Barcelona, ??the new company will manage the future intermodal terminal of the port, as well as the integrated rail logistics node of the intermodal terminals of Can Tunis and La Llagosta, and will become a shareholder of the future railway highway terminal .
The integration of all these elements under a single command aims to expand the focus beyond the facilities strictly limited to the port and promote the rail transport of goods throughout the Mediterranean axis and in the area of ??influence. This also includes international transport, on which the first steps have been taken a few months ago.
This joint vision of the different parts that exist in the metropolitan area of ??the Catalan capital and with the participation of the two partners also aims to promote synergies, achieve a more efficient management of resources and optimize the investments that have been made in the different infrastructures “It’s a significant milestone, as it goes from collaboration between institutions to cooperation and joint responsibility in railway management”, they emphasize from the Port of Barcelona about the formula that has been put in place, a pioneer in this scope
One of the primary roles of this new figure will be to act as an interlocutor with the different railway operators that transport goods and the railway terminals. In terms of operations, it will rely on the existing Barcelona Railway Management Center (CGFB) to plan and coordinate the provision of services between the port terminals and the Can Tunis terminal.
The future intermodal terminal of the port with four tracks, two cranes and an area for containers will be built and operated by the new company for 50 years under a public domain concession regime. For the same period of time, the Llagosta terminal is leased , where 25 million euros will be invested to transform the facilities and adapt them to new needs.
The creation of Train Port Barcelona gives shape to what was agreed in the collaboration protocol signed in October 2020 to promote the construction of new road and rail access by the Ministry of Transport (then, Development), the Generalitat, Adif, State Ports and Port of Barcelona. The presidency of the new society falls to José Alberto Carbonell, director general of the port of Barcelona.
The signing of the constitution is one of the most relevant steps after tenders for the drafting of the works were put out in the autumn, a procedure that will last two years. In the meantime, the intention of the ministry is to start the preliminary works to consolidate the land and divert affected services throughout this year.
