• At meeting of the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of Valencia has given the go-ahead to the signing of an agreement with CNH2 to promote research, technological development and implementation of hydrogen in the Valencian docks

• Likewise, the Board has reviewed the audit report of the annual accounts which, as it happened with the individual ones, has a favorable opinion without qualifications

• Valenciaport has closed the 2023 financial year with a positive result of more than 26 million euros

• The Board has also dealt with other matters of interest such as the extension of the agreement for the development of the Valenciaport Chair of Logistics-Port Innovation

The Port Authority of Valencia is committed to hydrogen research through the signing of an agreement with CNH2 (C.N.E. Hydrogen and Fuel Cells) with the aim of promoting the technological development and implementation of this fuel in the Valencian docks.

At today’s meeting of the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of València (PAV) has given the go-ahead to the signing of this agreement whose purpose is to give continuity to the authorization for the occupation of an area of 446m2 of port public domain in the north dock ‘Xità’ for the operation of a pilot station for mobile refueling of hydrogen.

Currently, the hydrogen station is being used by two vehicles associated with the operators Mediterranean Shipping Company Terminal Valencia, S.A. (MSC) and Valencia Terminal Europa, S.A. (VTE): the ReachStacker developed by Hyster, the 4×4 hydrogen tractor developed by Atena.

These vehicles can only be operated by specially trained and qualified port personnel, and a subgroup has been created to carry out this work. On the other hand, from the point of view of port operations, it is necessary for these vehicles to be ready and filled with hydrogen fuel before the first shift in the morning. Hence, it is necessary to locate the hydrogen facility within the port service area as it allows the refueling action to take place in the shortest possible time and avoids delays at the port access control points.

It is also important that hydrogen is refueled as soon as possible, as it is a gas with special expansibility characteristics that require a certain amount of time to refill the tanks of port vehicles. The success of this type of technology lies not only in environmental efficiency and 0% emissions, but also in the correct adaptation to a world as competitive and strict in terms of operational efficiency as the port activity in port terminals where it is being tested.

The signing is part of the European H2PORTS project financed by the European Commission, specifically the Fuel Cells Hydrogen Joint Undertaking, the European organization in charge of financing and promoting hydrogen research, technological development and deployment.

Consolidated annual accounts

The Audit Report of the consolidated annual accounts of Valenciaport has received the approval without qualifications from the General Intervention of the State Administration (IGAE). These year-end figures show a positive result of 26,327,927.73 euros and a turnover of 141.3 million euros, which means a decrease of 0.80% with respect to 2022; a variation resulting from the decreases in the ship rate, cargo rate and activity rate.

Other matters of the PAV Board of Directors:

• Train: Port of Sagunto / Cantabrian Corridor

The Board of Directors has approved to delegate to Mar Chao, president of the Port Authority of Valencia, the exercise of the competence to approve the text of the amending addenda and extensions of the agreements regulating the financial contributions of the PAV from the financial fund for port land accessibility in relation to the “rail access to the Port of Sagunto” and the “contribution to improvement actions in the Sagunto-Teruel-Zaragoza line”.

In this sense, Chao has been authorized to sign the amending addenda and extensions of the Agreements, thus empowering the presidency and the general management of the PAV to take the necessary steps.

• Acelor Mittal

The Board of Directors of the PAV has resolved to ratify the actions of the president of the Port Authority of Valencia, Mar Chao, in the signing of the transactional agreement between Arcelor Mittal España S.A. and the Port Authority of Valencia, signed on June 13, 2024, in relation to the concession of its ownership in the Port of Sagunto that allows the maintenance of the system of bonuses foreseen in its concession, observing the opinion issued by the Council of State.

• Extension of the UPV agreement

The members of the Board of Directors have approved the extension of the business agreement between the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and the Port Authority of Valencia for the development of the Valenciaport Chair of Logistics-Port Innovation.

• Adhesion to the agreement between the Secretary of State for Security and State Ports

The Board of Directors has approved the adhesion of the PAV to the agreement between the Secretary of State for Security and Puertos del Estado for the installation of border control equipment in Spanish ports within the framework of the European Entry and Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).