Maritime transport is an activity that human beings have been carrying out for millennia. Its constant evolution, driven by advances in knowledge and technology, has led to the current scenario, characterized by the availability of highly advanced systems, vessels, and port terminals.

At present, maritime transport is the most widely used means by international trade to ship goods. It is estimated that between 80% and 90% of all products are transported by sea at some point in their distribution process. These figures are the result, on the one hand, of the potential of port terminal infrastructure, equipment, and logistics systems, and on the other, of the growing storage capacity of vessels, which reduces transportation costs and makes maritime shipping highly competitive.

“A fundamental link in maritime transport is port terminals.”

In addition to vessels, the other fundamental link in maritime transport is port terminals. A port terminal is a facility designed to provide port services and to act as the interface between maritime transport and other modes of transport or the storage of goods.

ELEMENTS AND TYPES OF PORT TERMINALS

For their operation, port terminals must be equipped with certain elements. Among the most important are the following:

• Maritime infrastructure and berthing and mooring facilities to receive different types of vessels
• Land areas or onshore infrastructure that enable the development of port operations, such as loading, unloading, storage, reception, or cargo classification.
• Equipment and machinery to carry out the operations associated with port services.
• Human capital and technological systems required to properly manage all activities.

Depending on their purpose and the type of cargo, port terminals can be of different types, according to the goods they handle or manage: containers (specialized in container loading and unloading), general cargo (for operations classified as general cargo in palletized form), solid bulk (handling and storage of solid bulk cargo), liquid bulk (handling of liquid cargo), Ro-Ro vessels (handling Roll-On/Roll-Off vessels transporting wheeled cargo), or liquefied natural gas – LNG – (specialized in this type of liquid cargo).

Liquid bulk terminals handle the largest volume of goods, together with container terminals. Among these liquid cargoes are oil and other hydrocarbons. To manage them, facilities must be equipped with pipeline systems, pumping stations, and valves, which facilitate the loading and unloading of products and their transfer to specialized storage centers and tanks. Naturally, given the specific characteristics of petroleum products, these terminals must be equipped to comply with the relevant safety and protection measures: fire protection systems, waste management, and safety systems to prevent spills or leaks.

PORT SYSTEM AND CARGO TRAFFIC IN SPAIN

In Spain, the state-owned port system is made up of 46 ports managed by 28 Port Authorities and coordinated by the public body Puertos del Estado. The system closed the 2022 fiscal year with a 3,5% increase in cargo traffic and an 83,2% rise in passenger numbers. These results can be considered satisfactory, given the epidemiological situation experienced in Spain, compounded in early 2022 by the situation in Ukraine. All of this has led to the destabilization of supply networks, with a consequent impact on logistics chains and maritime transport.

According to 2021 data from ANAVE (Spanish Shipowners’ Association), crude oil accounted for 28,4% of Spanish imports carried out through maritime trade, while petroleum products reached 8,3%. The main crude oil supplier countries that year were Nigeria, Mexico, and Libya.

STRATEGIC VALUE OF TERMINALS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS}

For petroleum product companies, since a large share of their volume arrives by sea via oil tankers, the strategic value of port terminals is paramount. An example is Haxx, the Spanish holding company focused on the marketing and distribution of petroleum products.

The Group’s terminal network has a strong port-related component, which facilitates product distribution throughout Spain. This network includes five terminals with storage capacity, distributed across different geographic areas of the Iberian Peninsula, from which products are distributed through a proprietary logistics fleet. This enables the company to offer maximum flexibility to its customers and to efficiently guarantee supply.

THE HAXX TERMINAL NETWORK

Three of the terminals are already operational and are located in port areas (Bilbao, Motril, and Gijón). In the near future, a non-port terminal in Ocaña (Toledo) will begin operations to serve the central region. In addition, a new port terminal in Ferrol is expected to come into operation in 2024.

According to Diego Guardamino, Haxx’s Managing Director, “having storage capacity is essential, and our company has made a clear commitment to owning our own terminals and storage facilities, as they allow us to remain flexible and competitive in terms of pricing.”

With the commissioning of the Ferrol terminal, the company will have nearly 500,000 m³ of hydrocarbon storage capacity. With this capacity, the Group positions itself as one of the leading wholesale operators of petroleum products in Spain.

For Haxx, the availability of an own terminal network, especially port terminals, represents a key differentiating value. For this reason, the company is committed to continuing to expand its network and increasing its presence and relevance throughout Spain, while also continuing to upgrade and modernize its terminals through the incorporation of the most advanced automation and digitalization systems available on the market.