Port accessEntrance, the activities laid on and the shuttle bus will all be free, and many different activities will be organised for people of all ages.
With a view to bringing the activity of the Port of Bilbao and its economic and social importance closer to the community, the Port Authority and the Bilbao Port and River Foundation will once again organise, at the Getxo cruise terminal, a fun and cultural day for the general public. The Kai-Jai, or Port of Bilbao Day, will this year celebrate its eighth edition on Sunday, 22 October, from 10.30 to 14.30, and will include workshops, games, shows for all the family and many new features, such as the discofesta. It will also be possible to take a look around three port vessels: a tugboat, the Maritime Rescue boat and the Ertzaintza (Basque police force) vessel. At 12.00, the Port Authority will present the prizes for the schoolchildren’s story competition and, at 12.30, those present will have the chance to watch a helicopter rescue drill by the Ertzaintza.
For the younger members of the family (up to the age of 5) there will be a toy library, trampolines and a colouring area, amongst other attractions; for 6 to 13-year-olds, a bouncy castle, a surfboard simulator and a gymkhana; and for all ages there will be games, a disco party, a make-up area with seafaring motifs and storytelling.
Visitors will also be able to interact with police dogs, have fun photos taken in the photo booth, have their faces painted or take part in the draw for cycling jerseys. Kai Jai will also provide rest areas, a bar where people can eat a good “talo”, and an information point.
To enable easy access to the terminal where the cruise ships dock, a free car park has been set up, and a free shuttle bus will run every half hour to the Neguri metro station and the area around the Bizkaia Bridge.
Ezagutu Portua
To get to know the port and its activity, the Port Authority of Bilbao also organises a programme of free guided tours. The Ezagutu Portua programme is designed to enable people to see, at first hand, how the port of Bilbao works, and to understand its direct relationship with the economic and social development of Bizkaia and the Basque Country.
During the guided tours, which last approximately 2 hours, visitors discover the history and geography of the port, the different ships and vessels that dock at its quays, the importance of maritime transport and its operations, how the port impacts its surrounding area and how it works to be sustainable and to generate its own energy.
Visits for the general public take place on weekends from 10.30. Click here for further information, to sign up for a visit and to discover the inner secrets of the port of Bilbao.
The Port of Bilbao and the Bilbao Port and River Foundation
Bilbao is a commercial, logistics and industrial port. Port activity accounts for 8% of the GDP of the Basque Country and 17% of that of Bizkaia, and helps to maintain around 10% of employment in Bizkaia. The port is aligned to the UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and is currently rolling out a decarbonisation plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Bilbao Port and River Foundation comprises the nine riverside towns of Barakaldo, Bilbao, Erandio, Getxo, Leioa, Portugalete, Santurtzi, Sestao and Zierbena, as well as the Port Authority of Bilbao. It is also supported by a further twenty or so companies and organisations involved in port activity.
The main objective of the Foundation is to promote and develop plans of general interest, within a wide socio-cultural and recreational context, to enable a better understanding and knowledge of the historic and present-day importance of the port of Bilbao, and of the Bilbao river, in the economic and social development and integration of the riverside towns, as well as innovation-linked projects and initiatives in the port sector.
