The president of Valenciaport emphasised his commitment to three strategic dimensions for 2030: economic, environmental and social
Valenciaport is going to be up to major investments and challenges for the Valencia Region such as the Power-Co gigafactory, and to the needs of sectors such as ceramics, agri-foodstuffs or textiles to provide them with an agile, solid and efficient response
Joan Calabuig: “The environment is an essential element. We have to listen, dialogue, minimise and contribute to harmonious development with our surroundings”
The president of the PAV indicated that “the ports belong to all the citizens and must be a factor of progress and benefit for society as a whole”
He highlighted initiatives such as the Parque de Desembocadura, the largest transfer of land for public use adopted by a Spanish port, which will serve to revalue the Natzaret district
Joan Calabuig and the President of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, thanked Aurelio Martínez for his work at the head of Valenciaport, which has consolidated its position as the leading container port in the Mediterranean
The president of the Port Authority of Valencia ), Joan Calabuig, has shown Valenciaport’s commitment to society and economic activity in three inseparable dimensions: economic, environmental and social, in order to become a benchmark infrastructure in the Valencia Region and Spain by 2030. Three dimensions that are the way, through dialogue, cooperation and union, to continue to make progress in the competitiveness of exporting companies, environmental and social sustainability and the future of the ports.
Calabuig made these declarations during the act of taking office as the new president of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV), replacing Aurelio Martínez. The event was attended by a wide representation of the port, business and institutional world headed by the president of the Generalitat Ximo Puig and the president of Puertos del Estado, Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena.
In the economic area, Calabuig stressed that “Valenciaport is at the forefront of Europe and the Mediterranean. It is the best connected port in the Mediterranean, which is a key factor for competitiveness, projecting our participation in international trade, favouring our hinterland and reducing the costs of transporting goods for our companies”. The ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia,” he continued, “are connected to 1,000 sites around the world where 35 shipping companies operate, which is fundamental for the value of our companies and the challenges of our economy. In Valenciaport the commercial exchange of an area that represents 55% of the GDP and 40% of all exports and imports by sea transport in Spain takes place, a strategic and essential infrastructure for the Valencian Community, Spain and Europe”.
For this reason,” said the head of Valenciaport, “the ports must be up to major investments and challenges for the Valencia Region such as the Power-Co gigafactory that Volkswagen is promoting, but also to all our exporting companies in sectors such as ceramics, agri-food or textiles and many others, to which we must provide a flexible, solid and efficient response”.
In this area, Calabuig also highlighted Valenciaport’s fundamental role as an agent of change “towards digital transformation, synchromodality, artificial intelligence and innovation in order to continue moving forward”.
Contributing to the harmonious development of our environment
In environmental matters, Calabuig stressed that “this is an essential aspect of special interest for citizens and administrations. We have to listen, dialogue, minimise and contribute to the harmonious development of our environment. There are many more areas of agreement based on the conviction that no one is completely right and everyone is partially right”.
In this sense, he highlighted the strategic objective of Valenciaport 2030 of zero emissions in which the entire port community and society must work together and united to be the “most sustainable port in Europe and a reference in the world. We want to be leaders in energy transfer. For this reason, we are going to take a leap forward in the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandia in photovoltaic installations, energy self-sufficiency, the use of hydrogen, the electrification of the docks or the railway connection, increasing the weight of the train in the movement of goods”.
The Port of the citizens
During his speech, the president of the PAV explained that “the Port belongs to all the citizens and must be a factor of progress and benefit for society as a whole. For this reason, we must reinforce our commitment to the social and institutional environment, always bearing in mind the general interest, the improvement of the quality of life, fluid inter-institutional cooperation and exemplary ethical conduct”.
In this line, he has highlighted recent initiatives such as the largest cession of land for citizen use adopted by a Spanish port as the Desembocadura Park that will serve to revalue a neighbourhood like Natzaret or the actions that are being carried out in Sagunto and Gandía in this section for the citizen use of these spaces”.
The new president of the PAV also wanted to thank “the great work of Aurelio Martínez for his vision of the future at a time of complexity and challenges” and the recognition to the port community for maintaining firmness in a complicated situation marked by the pandemic and other factors “that have allowed us to maintain the supply, stability and promote the competitiveness of our companies”.
