General Description
Location: The Port of Santander is located in the Bay of Santander on the south side of the Bay of Biscay on the northern coast of Spain.
General overview: A large port able to handle most large vessels and most types of cargo. It has good road and rail connections and cargo handling facilities. Trade with other Spanish ports consists mainly of imported petroleum products. There is a regular Ro-Ro vehicle and passenger ferry service to the United Kingdom.
The Port of Santander’s new terminal for agricultural cargoes has the latest systems and equipment. With rail access, berthing space of 281 meters, and alongside depth of 13 meters, the terminal offers storage capacity for over 102 thousand tons and 18 silos that can handle up to 14 thousand tons of grains per day.
The chemical products terminal at the Port of Santander has operated since 1983 and specializes in handling biofuels and petroleum products along Spain’s Atlantic coast and southeast France. It offers 200 meters in moorings with alongside depth of 12 meters and storage capacity for over 90 thousand cubic meters of liquid cargoes. It has special pipeline connections and loading bays for both lorries and trains.
Four quays of a total 1671 meters length with alongside depth of from 9.5 to 13 meters at the Port of Santander handle general goods. Each quay has direct rail access and links to the highway network. With a total handling area of 322 thousand square meters, these quays handle a range of cargoes that include wire rods, tubes, iron and steel products, wind equipment, and wood.
The Port of Santander’s roll-on/roll-off terminal for forestry products handles goods like paper reels with berth of 710 meters with alongside depth of 8 meters and one roll-on/roll-off ramp. The ro-ro terminal also offers 14 thousand square meters for storage adjacent to the wharf and an additional 16 thousand square meters for storage in the port area.
The Port of Santander includes a roll-on/roll-off terminal for automobiles and heavy vehicles. Covering 600 thousand square meters, the terminal contains one 170-meter quay with alongside depth of 10 meters and one 800-meter quay for ocean liners with alongside depth of 13 meters. It offers two secure PDI facilities of 300 thousand square meters and three trains with capacity for handling 1200 cars per day. This terminal handles over 300 thousand units each year and has capacity for twice that amount. It serves over 20 auto manufacturers with worldwide markets.
The Passenger Terminal at the Port of Santander is located near the city center and commercial areas. With two wharves that can accommodate vessels to 439 meters, it includes a roll-on/roll-off ramp and passenger gangway. The terminal is fully-equipped with conveniences and services for passengers today and far into the future. It is just four kilometers from the international airport. With berthing space of 300 meters and alongside depth of 13 meters, the terminal also contains storage capacity for 300 thousand tons of cargo.
Imports: Coal, soya beans, flour, scrap iron and minerals.
Exports: Iron, steel, cereals and minerals.
Traffic figures: Approx 1,500 vessels and 5,900,000t of cargo handled annually.
Load line zone: North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone II, Winter Nov 1 to Mar 31, Summer Apr 1 to Oct 31.
Max size: Draught 12.8m at HW, LOA: 439 m
The largest vessel called at the port: LOA: 294 m, draught: 12.5 m, deadweight: 93,257 t.