"There was a problem that was initially detected due to the delay in navigation that this crisis generated, but now it has been solved," says Néstor Martínez, deputy director general and Business Development of the Port Authority of Valencia (APV). The Port has wanted to send a message of tranquility to the logistics sector and in a statement assures that companies have guaranteed distribution, "the logistics chain will not be interrupted," he adds.
The Port of València assures this Friday that it works with “complete normality”, both with ships on Atlantic and Mediterranean routes and with container ships affected by the Red Sea crisis that has forced certain traffic routes to skirt around southern Africa to reach to the Mediterranean.
"At this time, the Port of Valencia has sufficient capacity to withstand this situation," Martínez clarifies. The danger of the war situation in the Red Sea caused important shipping companies with large container ships of 400 meters in length to stop accessing the ports. Valencian terminals crossing the Suez Canal and making various stops in the Mediterranean. The alternative extended the journey by 10 or 12 days, with the consequent delay in arrival at the destination port.
The delay affected the logistics chain of these ships that until the Red Sea crisis arrived in Valencia via Suez. “The boats – details Néstor Martínez – are already beginning to arrive regularly; so users, shippers and importers of the Port of Valencia can rest assured. The port will continue to provide service; and, therefore, companies can continue with their export and import projects, knowing that distribution is guaranteed, and that the logistics chain will not be interrupted.”
According to Néstor Martínez, “the experience that the pandemic gave us, not only to the Port of València, but to the entire global logistics chain to the ports, the transporters and operators means that everyone is doing their bit to make this possible.” works. At this time there is no cause for alarm. The Port of Valencia has sufficient capacity to withstand this situation. There was a problem that was initially detected due to the delay of those ten or 12 days, and it has now been resolved.”
For the manager of the leading port in the Mediterranean in container traffic, “the Port of Valencia, the port of Algeciras, like the ports of Morocco and Barcelona that have infrastructure for large container ships, can be used to collect merchandise destined for ports. Mediterranean as our sea has become a bag with a bottom, because before the ship passed through the Suez Canal.
Now when it arrives in Valencia it has to be distributed again and it will not pass through the ports of Gioia Tauro, Piraeus, Malta, etc. Now they are not going to get there because the shipowner will order the return to Asia through the Cape of New Hope. That is what can happen, therefore, there is no problem in sight.” “At the moment we are doing the normal monitoring, as is usually done in these jobs, both in maritime and land operations,” he explained.
“The capacity of the Port of Valencia is guaranteed. At this time, the terminals have enough clearance to support this increase in traffic, taking into account that distribution will be guaranteed because shipping companies have to distribute it to our neighboring countries with “feeder” ships (smaller vessels than ocean-going vessels). that they have to program; and in any case, from the Port Authority we are in permanent contact with the main shipping companies to resolve any circumstance that may arise from this situation because our objective is to be trade facilitators,” the statement concludes.
