Valencia takes a stand at the Espo
The words of Aurelio Martínez, spoken at the inauguration of the Conference of the European Sea Ports Organisation (Espo) at the beginning of June, continue to resonate.
The conference was held in Valencia this year. Referring to the great challenges facing all European ports, the president of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV) emphasised: "As stated in the (recently presented) ESPO Valencia Declaration, the institutions must make a strategic commitment to the ports and infrastructures, which are essential in the fight against climate change, the development of cities, economic activity and the geopolitical situation."
The energy transition was an issue of special importance to Martínez, who underlined that Valenciaport has set its goal to become a zero emissions port by 2030. An example of this search for sustainable solutions in port operations is the port's new container terminal that will use the most advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, to manage operations under the principle of "zero emissions" from the outset.
Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena, president of Puertos del Estado, commented: "The development of a new terminal in an extension that is already completed, with an EIS in force, and without any problems from the environmental point of view, is a great opportunity to turn it into a base in the western Mediterranean for maritime connectivity with the rest of the world." (sh)