DIARIO DEL PUERTO COLD CHAIN LOGISTICS - FRUIT LOGISTICA 2022 52 PORT OF ALICANTE The Port of Alicante’s strategic geographical location, close to the fertile Vega Baja fruit and vegetable growing region and the agri-food production of its hinterland, which includes the Valencian Region, Murcia, Castile La Mancha and Madrid, and its excellent maritime connections means it is an ideal option for shipping refrigerated goods to and from North Africa, the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands. The Port is an intermodal platform, transporting goods in reefer containers via rail freight to the rest of Europe and the United Kingdom, offering a sustainable alternative to road transport. FACTS AND FIGURES In 2020, the Port of Alicante handled a total of 132,524 tonnes of refrigerated goods, the majority of which were fruit, vegetables and pulses with 113,356 tonnes. Frozen and refrigerated fish amounted to 19,168 tonnes. From January to August 2021, the Port of Alicante handled 73,316 tonnes of refrigerated goods, of which fruit and vegetables accounted for 63,684 tonnes and frozen and refrigerated fish 9,632 tonnes. SERVICES The Port of Alicante has 300 reefer connections, with 24hour monitoring, as well as a 750 metre rail-port terminal for trains. It also offers cold treatment for exports to the United States to ensure the eradication of fruit flies while the goods are being transported in containers. It has a Border Inspection Post (BIP) with animal, foreign and plant health, FITO and SOIVRE laboratory units, as well as a multi-purpose terminal with facilities for customs inspection and warehouses and cold stores. In 2021, a reefer goods rail line with a direct connection to the United Kingdom was launched and, in 2022, a shipping route line connecting Tangiers and Marseille for refrigerated and non-refrigerated agricultural produce was also brought into service.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NjQ1MTQ=