Port accessThe Port of Bilbao and Mercabilbao will once again tap into their synergies in the Fruit Attraction trade fair to attract new business in the fruit and vegetable sector. From 3-5 October, the trade fair in Madrid will become the focal point for shippers and logistics operators in the sector, and representatives of the Port Authority and from the largest distribution centre for perishable foodstuffs in the north of Spain and the south of France will be there to showcase their facilities and services with three key characteristics for this type of traffic: flexibility, safety and traceability.
In this respect, one of the most outstanding services provided by the port of Bilbao is the Border Control Post, which operates 24/7 with operations coordinated through its e-commerce platform to ensure maximum speed and responsiveness. This facility is located next to the container terminal, which is highly automated and equipped with 540 plug sockets for reefer containers.
The port of Bilbao also has ro-ro and multi-purpose terminals and perishable warehouses. The cold terminal, Frioport, extends over 4,800 m², with two -25º C freezer units totalling 16,300 m³ and three cold storage rooms with a total capacity of 7,500 m³.
Progeco, for its part, has two facilities for the storage and transfer of goods, with a total of 6,000 m² of positive cold storage. The company also handles storage, maintenance and repair of refrigerated containers, providing solutions all year round to all types of problems with both structural issues and refrigerated machinery for shipping companies and all types of customers in the sector, thereby avoiding delays and breakages in the cold chain.
With connections to over 800 ports worldwide and wide-ranging experience in the traffic of perishable products, the port of Bilbao is a hub for imports of fresh products from Central and South America and South Africa, and for exports to the north of Europe. Special mention is to be made in this respect of the long history of the port in fruit and vegetable trade with the UK and Ireland.
Mercabilbao, in a privileged position to pursue a strategy of internationalisation
Mercabilbao is the largest distribution centre for perishable foodstuffs in the north of Spain and the south of France. The fact that both the port of Bilbao and Mercabilbao have a direct connection to the motorway network enables them to pursue a joint and effective internationalisation strategy, and makes them an attractive proposition for operators in the fruit and vegetable sector in terms of resources, economics, time, available infrastructure and existing logistics warehouses. In 2022, fruit and vegetable trade in Mercabilbao stood at 229,409 tons, a figure which maintains its position as a leading food market.
Furthermore, its partnership with the port of Bilbao gives the market a further competitive advantage in attracting traffic in fruit and vegetable products, enabling it to connect with other European and American markets, especially within the framework of the development of the joint Euro-Region of the Basque Country-Aquitaine. Mercabilbao and the Central Market of Bordeaux collaborate closely to develop joint activities and provide a better service to the community.
