APM Terminals gets concession agreement extension at Valencia Port

The Board of Director of Valencia Port Authority (VPA) has approved an eight-year extension to the concession held by APM Terminals (APMT) Valencia.

The extension is subject to a new investment commitment of more than €10 million ($11 million) aimed at improving productivity, energy efficiency and environmental performance at the terminal.

The extension brings the concession end date to 2049, reaching the maximum 50-year term permitted under Spanish port legislation.

It follows additional investment commitments exceeding 20 per cent of the original concession scope, meeting requirements under the Spanish Ports and Merchant Marine Act for a substantial modification.

APMT Valencia has operated the concession since 1999, with a series of sequential extensions now culminating in the full statutory term.

A central element of the investment programme is the electrification of the Levante Quay through the installation of the first Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system.

The wider plan includes four OPS units across the terminal, including a power delivery centre and associated transformation infrastructure.
The development aligns with VPA’s 2030 port decarbonisation targets, as well as APM Terminals’ own emissions reduction pathway, targeting a 70 per cent reduction by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040.

The OPS rollout forms part of the OPS Valenciaport initiative, led by Fundación Valenciaport and co-financed under the EU Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Transport programme.

Tim Miltenburg, Head of Decarbonisation Center of Excellence at APM Terminals, said: “Decarbonisation extends beyond the terminal fence. Therefore, APMT does not only focus on our own operational emissions but works globally to support solutions that reduce emissions across the terminal ecosystem, including those of our customers. This investment plan for Valencia is a great example of what that can look like and how we work with port authorities to find the best solutions for their port.”

A second investment stream focuses on physical upgrades to enable accommodation of larger E-class and EEE-class vessels operating under the Gemini Cooperation between Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd.

The works will adapt Levante Quay fenders to support ships serving Asia–Mediterranean routes with draughts of up to 16.5 metres.

Julián Fernández, Managing Director of APMT Spanish Gateways, stated: “The support of the Valenciaport Authority’s Board of Directors for this extension allows us to move forward with investments that strengthen the sustainability and operational capacity of the terminal, thereby increasing competitiveness and reinforcing the Port of Valencia as a strategic hub on major global shipping routes.”