Algeciras Port expands with 8-hectare heavy export logistics terminal

The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) and the Cádiz Free Trade Zone Consortium have agreed to establish a new 80,000-square-meter logistics terminal dedicated to managing heavy export traffic at El Fresno in Los Barrios, Spain. The project, backed by a 5.2 million euro investment, will accommodate 500 trucks and incorporate advanced security infrastructure, customs processing facilities, and driver services. This external terminal is designed to regulate truck flows before they enter port facilities, reducing congestion and improving operational efficiency.

The terminal represents a strategic response to anticipated growth in import and export traffic at Algeciras, particularly for containerized cargo and roll-on-roll-off operations on the Algeciras-Tanger Med corridor. Located three kilometers from the port with direct highway connections to the A-7 and A-381, the facility will feature concrete paving rated for heavy vehicles, automatic license plate recognition systems, CCTV surveillance, and modular spaces for logistics operators. The 30-year lease agreement, renewable in three-year increments, signals long-term infrastructure commitment to support the port's competitive positioning in the western Mediterranean.

For supply chain professionals, this development underscores the critical role of external logistics hubs in managing port congestion and regulatory requirements. The terminal's design specifically addresses pre-port procedures including customs inspections, enabling faster processing and more predictable arrival windows at loading areas. This type of regional capacity expansion is increasingly essential for ports competing in global trade, particularly as Mediterranean gateway ports face pressure from competing facilities and evolving shipping patterns.