Port accessThe Port Authority of Bilbao has put out to tender the construction works for the second phase of the central pier of the port of Bilbao, after receiving the required prior authorisation from the Council of Ministers. The tender budget for the contract is EUR 55.44 million, excluding VAT, funded from the Port Authority’s own resources, and has a completion time of 26 months. A unique construction feature of this type of port work is that the contract provides for the construction of caissons, backfill and superstructure of the new port docks. The resultant interior basin will be filled by reusing surplus materials from other public works in the surrounding area, in a significant example of a circular economy.
The deadline for submitting bids is 20 June, with the contract expected to be awarded later in the summer and works to begin in the autumn. The second phase of the central breakwater works will create a new port surface area of 31.2 hectares, and will mark the completion of the port expansion in the Outer Abra, which began in the 1990s.
This is a strategic project for the Port of Bilbao, enabling it to meet the demand for port land to accommodate new projects and consequently maintain its position as a leading port in the Cantabrian Sea. It will also generate wealth and employment for the Basque Country as a key logistical, commercial and industrial hub.
