1.6 Services

Services provided by the port (I_14)

The services provided within the port activity are guided by the provisions of the current Royal Decree 2/2011, of 5 September, which approves the Revised Text of the Law on State Ports and the Merchant Navy (TRLPEMM), within the framework of free and fair competition between operators, as established by the aforementioned Law. They are classified into:

I. General services
II. Port services
III. Commercial services
IV. Maritime signalling service

I. General Services

These are those common services from which port users benefit without the need to request them, as well as those necessary for the fulfilment of the Port Authorities’ own functions. The Port Authority of Huelva provides the following general services:

• The service of organisation, coordination and control of port traffic, both maritime and land.
• The service of coordination and control of operations associated with port services, commercial and other activities.
• Signalling, beaconing and other navigational aids for the approach and access of the vessel to the port, as well as its internal beaconing.
• The police service in the common areas, without prejudice to the competences corresponding to other administrations.
• The lighting service of the common areas.
• The regular cleaning service of the common land and water areas. This service does not include the cleaning of docks and esplanades as a result of the storage and handling of goods, or the cleaning of spills and polluting marine spills.
• Emergency prevention and control services, under the terms established by civil protection regulations, in collaboration with the competent administrations for civil protection, fire prevention and extinguishing, rescue and pollution control.
• Basic rail infrastructure access service and basic access referred to in Article 46 of Law 38/2015 of 29 September 2015 on the rail sector or minimum access package referred to in Annex II of DIRECTIVE 2012/34/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 21 November 2012 establishing a single European railway area.

In general, the Port Authority is responsible for the provision of general services, without prejudice to the fact that their management may be entrusted to third parties when safety is not at risk or when they do not involve the exercise of authority.

Since 31 March 2015, successive service contracts have been signed between the Port Authority of Huelva and the Maritime Safety and Rescue Society (SASEMAR) for the provision of the general service of management, coordination and control of port maritime traffic. This contract, which originates from the Framework Agreement of Collaboration between the Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima and the Public Body Puertos del Estado, signed in March 2014, regulates the corresponding levels of provision.

General services are those from which port users benefit without the need to request them.

In order to maintain the continuity of the service, the Port Authority of Huelva and SASEMAR signed a new contract on 31 March 2021, which can be extended annually for a maximum of two years. On 03 April 2023, the last contract was signed to guarantee the provision of the aforementioned services for a period of 4 years, and may be extended annually, with a maximum of two extensions. In addition, an Addendum has been signed for the provision of additional services as of 1 January 2024 for a period of 39 months, plus an additional 24-month extension, to coincide with the total term of the contract.

II. Port Services

Port services are the provision of activities that are necessary for the operation of the ports, aimed at making it possible to carry out the operations associated with maritime traffic, under conditions of safety, efficiency, regularity, continuity and non-discrimination, and which are carried out within the territorial scope of the Port Authorities.

These activities, which are increasingly diversified and complex, must be carried out by private initiative on a freely competitive basis, with the established legal exceptions, guaranteeing, in all cases, compliance by the applicant with the conditions and requirements set out in the TRLPEMM.

The provision of port services will require obtaining the corresponding licence from the Port Authority, which can only be granted after approval of the corresponding Regulatory Specifications and Particular Prescriptions for the corresponding service.

Port services are the provision of activities that are necessary for the operation of the ports, aimed at making it possible to carry out the operations associated with maritime traffic, under conditions of safety, efficiency, regularity, continuity and non-discrimination.

In this sense, port services include: technical-nautical services (pilotage, harbour towage and mooring and unmooring), passenger services, ship waste reception services and cargo handling services.

Notwithstanding the above, on 15 February 2017, the European Union (EU) Regulation 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council was adopted, creating a new common regulatory framework for the provision of port services and on the financial transparency of European ports and including bunkering of ships and reception of cargo residues as a port service. Despite the fact that all EU Regulations are a legal act defined by article 288 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union which has a general scope, being mandatory in all its elements and directly applicable in all countries (EU), Puertos del Estado is currently drafting a legal provision to transpose the Regulation into the national legal system. From this point onwards, the procedure established in the Law must be established to grant the corresponding service licences and, among other things, the approval of the specific specifications.

Until this is carried out, in accordance with current legislation, the situation of Port Services in the Port of Huelva is as follows:

Pilotage service

The Tender Specifications for the tender for the award of the licence to provide the port pilotage service in the Port of Huelva was approved by the Board of Directors at its meeting of 26 June 2013.

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Huelva, at its meeting held on 11 December 2013, granted a licence for the provision of the Pilotage Port Service in the Port of Huelva to Corporación de Prácticos del Puerto y Ría de Huelva, S.L.P., for a period of ten (10) years, under the conditions and requirements established in the Specific Specifications of the Pilotage Port Service of the Port of Huelva and in the Tender Specifications.

During the period of validity of the Licence, certain legal provisions have come into force, such as Law 2/2015 on the de-indexation of the Spanish economy, or the European Union Regulation (EU) 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 February 2017 creating a new common regulatory framework for the provision of port services and adopting common rules on the financial transparency of ports, both of which apply to all Port Services and which therefore render obsolete the 2012 Specific Specifications for the Pilotage Service in the Port of Huelva, making it necessary to draw up and process new specifications following the guidelines established in these provisions, in addition to the reference regulations of Royal Legislative Decree 2/2011, of 5 September, which approves the Consolidated Text of the Law on State Ports and the Merchant Navy, or subsequent regulations that may replace it.

In view of the expiry of the term of the licence granted to the Corporación de Prácticos del Puerto y Ría de Huelva, S.L.P, the only possible provider of the pilotage service in the Port of Huelva, and taking into account that the approval of a new regulatory specification for the service was pending, the Board of Directors of the Port Authority at its meeting of 14 December 2023 agreed to continue the Pilotage Port Service in favour of the Corporación de Prácticos del Puerto de Huelva, under the same conditions under which the service has been provided, in all that does not contravene current legislation and in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 15 February 2017. All of this, while the granting of a new licence is being processed, following the modification of the Specific Specifications of the Service and the corresponding tender for the granting of a new licence is resolved in accordance with what is established in the Specifications of the corresponding tender.

On 19 December 2024, the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Huelva agreed to approve the specific specifications for the port pilotage service in the Port of Huelva, published in the Official State Gazette on 19 February 2025. Likewise, on 19 December 2024, the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Huelva agreed the approval of the Tender Specifications for the public tender for the award of the licence to provide the port pilotage service in the Port of Huelva, which was published in the Official State Gazette on 21 February 2025.

Mooring and unmooring service

On 29 June 2023, the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Huelva extended the mooring service licence of the company Amasur S.A.L. for a period of one year and in any case until the new specifications are approved.

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Huelva, in a meeting held on 19 December 2024, approved the Specific Specifications for the Provision of the Port Service of Mooring and Unmooring of Vessels in the Port of Huelva, as well as its publication in the Official State Gazette, which finally took place on 19 February 2025.

The deadline for submitting bids or applications for a new licence is fifty-two calendar days from the day following publication of the invitation to tender in the Official State Gazette.

Towing service

During 2024, the Port Authority of Huelva was in the process of drafting a new regulatory specification for the service, in accordance with the model sent by OPPE, which would incorporate the provisions of the European Union (EU) Regulation 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Therefore, until the regulatory specifications are approved, the Board of Directors of this Port Authority, at its meeting of 14 November 2024, has extended the licence for the port towage service due to expiry of the term of the licence in force until then, for a period of one year and in any case until the specifications are approved.

Currently, the new Specific Specifications for the port towage service have been processed in accordance with the TRL and reported favourably by Puertos del Estado, and will be submitted for approval at the next Board of Directors meeting in March 2025 and its corresponding publication in the BOE (Official State Gazette).

Ship-generated waste reception service

During 2024, work has been carried out to draft a new Specification of Requirements to take into account the new incorporation of the reception of ship’s cargo residues into the service.

In the meantime, the Board of Directors of this Port Authority, at its meetings of 27 June 2024 and 14 November 2024, extended the licences for port services for the reception of waste from the MARPOL V (solid waste) and MARPOL I (oily liquids) annexes, respectively, due to the expiry of the terms of those previously in force, for a period of one year and in any case until the corresponding specifications are approved.

Passenger service

Once the model has been received by OPPE, the drafting of the service specifications incorporating the provisions of the European Union (EU) Regulation 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council has yet to begin.

Goods Handling Service

Once the model has been received by OPPE, the drafting of the service specifications incorporating the provisions of the European Union (EU) Regulation 2017/352 of the European Parliament and of the Council has yet to begin.

Bunkering services for ships

On 20 November 2023, Puertos del Estado sent the Port Authorities a reply from the European Commission regarding the consultation on the bunkering service, in which it can be interpreted that the supply of fuel to ships may continue to fall within the category of commercial service, provided that the framework for the provision of services and the common rules of the Regulation (EU) are taken into account in its performance.

In view of this new situation, commercial service authorisations will have to be granted in accordance with the specific conditions adapted to the premises of the Regulation (EU), for which Puertos del Estado has sent models to support the drafting of specific conditions and authorisations. Provisional authorisations have been granted to continue the provision of bunkering services to ships in the Port of Huelva, under the conditions existing at present, until the specific conditions of the service are approved, and to which they must be adapted.

III. Commercial Services

These are those activities of a commercial nature that, while not being port services, are linked to port activity. In accordance with the applicable legal provisions, this type of service will be provided on a competitive basis with the prior authorisation of the Port Authority and in accordance with the corresponding special conditions.

Numerous activities are carried out in the Port of Huelva under this type of service.

IV. Maritime signalling service

The purpose of this is the installation, maintenance, control and inspection of visual, acoustic, electronic or radio-electric devices, active or passive, designed to improve the safety of navigation and the movements of vessels in Spanish coastal waters and, where appropriate, to confirm the position of vessels in navigation.

The provision of this service in the Port Authority of Huelva is reflected in the geographical area assigned for this purpose.

Likewise, in the following link you can see the beaconing area of water zones I and II of the Port of Huelva.

Number of companies operating in the port under concession, authorisation or licence (I_15)

Companies holding a concession or authorisation for private occupation of the public domain linked to the movement of goods, passengers, fishing, nautical sports or shipbuilding and ship repair

Port service providers operating in the port during 2024

Actual land area in commercial use (I_16)

The data shown in the table above is the land area characterised as commercial use, both available for concession and under concession. However, the total land area of the service area of the Port of Huelva is 17,841,824 m², with an estimated 5,246,600 m², or approximately 29.41%, being fully available for concession. The rest of the land is subject to urban planning and/or environmental restrictions, or for use as general services (communications, green spaces, etc.). In 2024, the total area under concession was 4,198,557 m², of which 3,442,345 m² was land occupation.

Percentage of tonnes moved in concessionary or licensed maritime freight terminals (I_17)

In relation to total freight traffic, those corresponding to maritime freight terminals, concessionary or authorised are: