DIARIO DEL PUERTO Ports 57 PORT OF CARTAGENA The Port of Cartagena has a cold storage terminal that can warehouse up to 10,000 pallets in temperature-controlled stores and up to 358 reefer connections. Thus, it plays a complementary role in southeast Spain’s logistics chain. When there is no citrus production in Murcia in summer, it serves as an entry point for imports from the southern hemisphere which are then dispatched throughout Europe. In fact, citrus fruit accounted for over 27%of all refrigerated products last year. FACTS AND FIGURES In 2021, the Port of Cartagena handled more than 85,000 tonnes of refrigerated products, notably fruit, vegetables, meat and fish; either fresh or frozen. 71% of the tonnes were unloaded and 29% were loaded. SERVICES AND PROJECTS The Port has several short-distance lines for refrigerated products to and from North Africa, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Northern Europe and, as of summer 2021, a new direct line with the Canary Islands. In addition, to promote the circular economy, it is working on new lines of business by using surplus cold in other port facilities. This is the so-called Ecological Cold, which enables highly significant reductions in emissions and costs, turning the Port of Cartagena into a reference in the use of ecological cold in the Mediterranean. The aim is to increase the sustainability and competitiveness of the regional economy, attracting companies from the Region to this logistics hub, optimising their storage, logistics, and production and reducing their environmental footprint. To this end, the Port and Enagás have signed an action protocol to carry out technical and economic feasibility studies for ecological refrigeration projects in the port area and the Escombreras Valley. In 2022, engineering studies are to be carried out to develop ecological cold chain infrastructures and funding is to be requested to develop the project.
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