Port accessEligible beneficiaries of these grants are shippers, carriers and operators using the routes connecting Bilbao with Zeebrugge and Rosslare between 8 May 2024 and 31 March 2025
With a view to promoting maritime freight transport as an alternative to road haulage, the Spanish Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility has announced the third call for non-competitive grants under the eco-incentive scheme. Eligible beneficiaries of these grants are shippers, carriers and transport operators, whether companies or self-employed individuals, choosing to load their semi-trailers, trailers or rigid heavy goods vehicles on a ro-ro, con-ro or ro-pax vessel between a Spanish and an EU port between 8 May 2024 and 31 March 2025.
This latest call, based, as on previous occasions, on proven environmental and socio-economic merit measured as a reduction in external costs by using maritime transport instead of road-only transport, has selected as eligible services two lines operating in the port of Bilbao. The first of these shipping companies, Finnlines, represented by Consignaciones Toro y Betolaza, runs a twice-weekly service between Bilbao and Zeebrûgge (Belgium) using new Grimaldi Group eco-series vessels with a large cargo capacity (5,800 linear metres each, equivalent to around 400 trailers) for any type of goods, and equipped with innovative energy-saving technology.
Other potential eco-incentive beneficiaries are those companies using the route between Bilbao and the Irish port of Rosslare. This twice-weekly service is provided by Brittany Ferries using the Galicia, an E-Flexer type vessel with 2,714 linear metres of space for vehicles and optimal environmental performance thanks to its innovative design features.
Applications should be submitted online through the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility website from 1 April to 2 June 2025.
