In 2023, the Port Authority of Huelva invested 32.96 million euros to adapt its infrastructure to meet existing needs.
This year, the following major actions have been completed:
- North extension of the South Quay.
- Installation of video surveillance cameras for port operations in the Port of Huelva.
- Remodelling works in the area surrounding the Monument to the Discovering Faith.
The following is a brief description of these works:
1. North Extension of the South Quay
The works consisted of extending the current South Quay of the Port of Huelva by 526 m in length. The structure is a screen pier with a main pier anchored to an anchor pier on the rear side. Both screens are made of sheet piling.
The project envisaged two different draft zones, one with a 10 m draft (southern half) and the other with a 6 m draft (northern half). However, the quay’s design allows the depth to be adapted to the future needs of the Port Authority of Huelva up to a maximum depth of 17 metres.
The crowning level of the quay is +6.50 m (approximately, since the road surface has drainage slopes). The cantilever beam and the rear rail beam of the container crane are made of reinforced concrete and act as tie beams for the sheet pile screens.
Moreover, an area with a width of 40.75 m including the cantilever beam and the rail beams has been paved with HP-40 reinforced concrete with a thickness of 0.28 m, executed on a quarry run esplanade and a layer of artificial gravel. From this point onwards, the finishing is provisional with a 1.25 m-thick layer of quarried material.
2. Installation of video surveillance cameras for port operations in the Port of Huelva
The Port of Huelva, thanks to the significant growth in the movement of goods and the diversity of its traffic, has become a leading industrial logistics node in the Peninsula and is currently the leading industrial enclave in Andalusia, second in Spain and, more importantly, the economic engine of Huelva and its surroundings. Thus, this project is especially significant due to the need to achieve the level of protection and security of port operations and maritime traffic.
The maritime traffic operating in the Port of Huelva is constantly growing, with vessels of various types (large gas and oil tankers, bulk carriers, cruise ships, containers, recreational craft, etc.) accessing the Port along a line of moorings more than 15 kilometres long, with entry/exit from the open sea through the Padre Santo Channel.
Despite the Port of Huelva having specific modern systems to control and manage maritime traffic through the Channel, it was necessary to add new video surveillance systems equipped with smart video analytics that allow all port operations taking place in real time and in any situation (day, night, rain, fog, etc.) to be visualised, enabling greater control of traffic flows
To this end, a video surveillance network has been set up on the right bank of the estuary, along the entire road to the Juan Carlos I dock and its surroundings, with cameras positioned such that they provide continuous coverage of images of ships or vessels along their entire route, whether in the anchorage area or the inner harbour itself.
3. Remodelling work on the area around the Monument to the Discovering Faith
Having completed the refurbishment work on the Monument to the Discovering Faith in the summer of 2020, the project to remodel the area surrounding the Columbus Monument, the space around the symbolic cubist figure located at the Punta del Sebo, has been executed, adding value to the entire area of the confluence between the rivers Tinto and Odiel.
The remodelling has led to the creation of a new multifunctional site for activities in the area of the promenade before the monument. The existing pedestrian area has been expanded up to the monument and its square. The entire area has also been equipped with new urban furniture similar to the Paseo de la Ría and Avenida Francisco Montenegro, as well as LED lighting, beacons and signage. The project executed in this area has sought to humanise and environmentally transform pedestrians’ arrival, eliminating road traffic and connecting the marshland to the landscaped area, generating a multifunctional public space that is an attraction and encourages pedestrian traffic between the city and Punta del Sebo, passing through the Río Tinto Quay, the Paseo de la Ría, Avenida Francisco Montenegro and the various pedestrian paths. The last sector of action has been the Punta del Sebo promenade, which seeks to recover the historic eucalyptus promenade. As part of the Port of Huelva’s sustainability strategy, a more sustainable irrigation system has also been installed, which will allow the green areas to be irrigated with raw water.
Other actions that began in previous years and which are still being executed are:
- Partial demolition of the fish market and the exporters’ warehouses.
- Refurbishment to guarantee the stability and structural safety of the Compañía Española de Minas de Tharsis loading bay.
- New Ro-Ro platform at the South Quay of the Port of Huelva.
- Connection works for the South Quay Drainage.
The following is a brief description of these actions:
1. Partial demolition of the fish market and the exporters’ warehouses
n recent years, the Port Authority of Huelva has been making an important effort to integrate the Port and the city. Within this area, the comprehensive remodelling of the Levante Quay is planned. To this end, a number of actions are being carried out, including the partial demolition of the fish market and the exporters’ premises, the construction of the new fish market and new warehouses for fish and seafood exporters.
Both the new fish market and the new exporters’ warehouses have already been completed, so the purpose of this action is the demolition of what remains, consisting of the partial demolition of the old fish market and the exporters’ premises that still need to be demolished, to be able to continue with the complete remodelling of the quay.
2. Refurbishment to ensure the stability and structural safety of the Compañía Española de Minas de Tharsis Loading Dock
The loading dock of the Compañía Española de Minas de Tharsis is an important symbolic element for the city of Huelva, due to its important role in the economic and social development of the area and its link to its recent history. It is a symbol of identity which the citizens are calling to be restored.
The works involve a series of actions required to guarantee the stability and structural safety of the Loading Dock, as the general state of deterioration of the structure of the dock is currently very advanced.
3. New Ro-Ro Platform at the South Quay of the Port of Huelva
A large part of the loading and unloading operations at the South Quay are performed by rolling means using gangways located at the stern of the ships. At present, the quay has a ramp for Ro-Ro vessels 200 m from the southern end, with capacity for 2 vessels, which allows the operation of vessels around 175 m long and 27 m wide.
Due to the recent increase in this type of traffic, following the implementation of a new regular line with the Canary Islands, and given the forecasts for growth and the addition of new regular ro-ro lines with North Africa, it is necessary to improve the quay’s operation by building a new Ro-Ro ramp at the southern end of the quay, which is compatible with the current ramp, so that up to four Ro-Ro vessels can operate simultaneously in the future.
4. Connection works for the South Quay drainage system
Currently, the South Quay has a sewage system using accumulation in tanks, which is insufficient in the medium term to house the facilities being developed there, such as the Multifunctional Building and the new Rearrangement of Accesses to the South Quay, which houses several buildings. There are several decanting wells where wastewater is discharged, which are emptied periodically, and which are not connected to the Basic Network
Therefore, this action will develop a sewage collection system that connects the south quay with the Basic Network, specifically at the Villafría pumping station, whence it is pumped to the treatment plant
This action is financed with funds from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM).
Moreover, the following actions were initiated:
- New single access to the Outer Harbour.
- Enlargement of the paving and electrical power at the Minerals Quay.
- Works on the construction project to allow the operation of 550 m-long trains in the Majarabique complex.
- Rehabilitation of track 2S2.
- Enlargement of the car park at Punta del Sebo.
- Refurbishment of Casa del Vigía.
1. New single access to the Outer Harbour
The works included in this project involve building an access to the Outer Harbour from the existing oval roundabout-type level intersection of the N-442 with the H-624 to Palos de la Frontera and the installation of a new, modern access control system. The planned layout will be adaptable to the new future layout of the N-442 proposed by the Ministry of Development. It includes a road with a different level crossing to avoid the current railway running parallel to the boundary of the Port Authority’s public domain.
2. Enlargement of paving and electrical power at the Minerals Wharf
The works consist of paving the Minerals Wharf to enlarge the operational surface area of exploitation that is currently unpathed; to execute a new drainage network that empties into the collectors connecting to the recently-executed retention tank, as well as medium voltage lines to supply the new transformation centre and low voltage installation, to comply with the Innovation Plan for Transport and Infrastructure 2017-20250 of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda.
3. Construction project works to enable the operation of 550-metre-long trains in the Majarabique complex
The Majarabique Intermodal Terminal is a Logistics Platform that is fully integrated with the South Quay terminal of the Port of Huelva, whose development and specialisation is a priority for the APH due to its location and characteristics.
In response to the need to improve this intermodal platform, the aim is to design the remodelling of the northern railhead of the Commercial Depots of the Majarabique Station to obtain a useful track length of 550m on the two tracks granted to the APH, which involves modifying and displacing the track devices currently installed to rearrange the railhead at the fan of sidings. This action is financed with funds from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM).
4. Restoration of track 2S2
Since Law 39/2003, of 17 November, on the Railway Sector came into force, the Port Authorities of each Port of General Interest exercise certain functions assigned to the rail infrastructure manager with respect to the existing rail infrastructure in the Ports of General Interest.
The Port Authority of Huelva therefore took the decision to improve the railway infrastructure, which was inherited from the former RENFE in a poor state and has been carrying out actions to improve the entire infrastructure.
The purpose of this action is to restore track 2S2 in the following sections:
- Section I: Track 2S2-2 from km 0+080 to km 1+178. 1+178.
- Section II: Track 2S2-1 from k.p. 2+970 to k.p. 2+970. 2+970 to k.p. 3+740.
- Section III: Track 2S2-2 from k.p. 4+380 to k.p. 4+380 to k.p. 4+380. 4+380 to k.p. 6+340.
In these sections, the current bedding layers will be restored and rehabilitated: sub-ballast and ballast, and the current wooden sleepers and the RN-45 type rail will be replaced. This action is financed with funds from the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (RRM).
5. Expansion of the car park at Punta del Sebo
This action aims to meet the needs of the number of parking spaces available, so the total number of parking spaces will be as follows:
- Parking spaces for vehicles: 129 units.
- Parking spaces for people with reduced mobility: 4 units.
- Parking spaces for motorcyclists: 6 units.
To enlarge these parking spaces, the adjoining undeveloped plot of land will be used, where the existing pavements and pathways will have to be demolished and dismantled, earthworks will have to be carried out to prepare the land and then pavements and pathways will have to be laid with drainage, lighting and vertical and horizontal signposting.
6. Refurbishment of the Casa del Vigía
The Casa del Vigía building was restored by the Port Authority of Huelva in 2006 and transferred to Palos de la Frontera Town Council, together with the Casa de los Prácticos and the Pasarela de Pesca Deportiva, for twenty years, renewable. However, before the end of these twenty years, these structures were returned to the Port of Huelva.
Once the building was returned, pathology studies were carried out to determine its condition. These studies concluded that these were “structures with deterioration or pathologies that could result in a modification of the resistant behaviour or a significant reduction service levels,” which is why rehabilitation work is required.
The purpose of the project to refurbish the ‘Casa del Vigía’ building owned by the Port Authority of Huelva, which is located in the municipality of Palos de la Frontera (Huelva).
Besides the projects necessary to execute some of the investments described above, some projects have been drafted during 2023, some of which are still being executed, among which the following stand out:
- Project to adapt the channel to new traffic.
- Project to enlarge the railway terminal.
- Levante Quay remodelling project.
- Quay project for the liquid bulk terminal to the south of the Ingeniero Juan Gonzalo quay.
