The president of the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras, Gerardo Landaluce, has conveyed to the director of the Representation of the European Commission in Spain, Daniel Calleja, the port’s concern about the effects that the application of the European emissions trading scheme is having on maritime activity and the connectivity of community enclaves.
The approach was part of the working visit made by Calleja to the Port of Algeciras this Monday. The president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Campo de Gibraltar, Carlos Fenoy, also participated in the meeting, which was part of the agenda maintained by the community representative with institutions and companies in the region.
During the meeting, Landaluce presented various matters whose regulation corresponds directly to European institutions and which affect port competitiveness. Among them, he pointed out the EU ETS, the system by which the European Union gradually incorporates maritime transport emissions into the community emissions trading market.
The APBA maintains that the territorial configuration of the system may favor the relocation of certain scales and operations to ports in neighboring third countries. The Algeciras port considers that this situation particularly affects the enclaves dedicated to international transshipment of containers, where shipping companies have operational alternatives outside the community space.
Landaluce has conveyed to Calleja the analyses conducted over the last few years by the EU ETS Observatory, created to examine the evolution of the scales, traffic, connectivity, and decisions made by shipping companies since the entry of maritime transport into the European emissions regime.
According to the position defended by the Port Authority, the studies undertaken point to changes in maritime networks and a risk of losing activity in favor of non-EU terminals. The institution demands that the European Commission takes these consequences into account during the monitoring and review processes of the regulation.
The EU ETS is part of the Fit for 55 legislative package, designed by the European Union to reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions. Its application to maritime transport establishes obligations for companies based on emissions generated during voyages and the scales included within the scope of community regulation.
The Bay of Algeciras maintains a particular focus on this regulation due to its proximity to ports in North Africa and the significant role that transshipment plays in its activity. This type of traffic depends on the decisions of major shipping alliances and can move between terminals when there are differences in costs, regulations, or services.
Alongside the debate on the emissions regime, the president of the APBA has presented to Daniel Calleja the projects that the Port of Algeciras is working on within Global Gateway, the European strategy aimed at supporting sustainable, digital, and secure connections with different regions of the world.
In collaboration with the Central American Economic Integration Secretariat, the Port Authority participates in two initiatives linked to this strategy. The first is the Green and Digital Corridor between Panama and Algeciras, designed to improve logistical coordination, electronic information exchange, and tracking of goods between both ends of the route.
The project also analyzes ways to reduce the environmental footprint associated with transport and port operations. Its development requires the participation of administrations, ports, logistics operators, shipping companies, and technological platforms from the countries involved.
The second initiative corresponds to the interoperability project between the Central American Digital Trade Platform and the Port Community System of the Port of Algeciras. The goal is to facilitate data exchange between both systems and reduce documentary redundancies in import, export, and transit operations.
Connecting these platforms would allow sharing logistical and customs information earlier, improving the traceability of loads and coordinating the arrival of goods at the terminals. It could also simplify certain administrative procedures and provide greater predictability to operators using the corridor between Central America and Europe.
The APBA has presented these projects as examples of port cooperation within Global Gateway. The European strategy includes actions related to transport infrastructure, digitalization, energy, connectivity, and the development of reliable logistical chains for international trade.
Daniel Calleja heads the Representation of the European Commission in Spain and acts as a liaison between community institutions, administrations, and economic agents in the country. The visit to the Campo de Gibraltar allowed him to learn about the issues raised by the business and port fabric of a region linked to foreign trade, industry, and relations with North Africa.
The meeting has placed the European climate regulation and logistical cooperation with Latin America and Central America on the same agenda. The Port Authority has requested that the Commission consider the characteristics of ports close to third countries when examining the evolution of the EU ETS and its effects on maritime networks.