ACOESTE congratulates the arrival of the floating dock and calls for “good coexistence” with the traffic that strengthens the port of Tenerife

The Tenerife employers' association ACOESTE acknowledges that it is “very focused and attentive” to the operational situation of the Eastern Dock of the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which has a new protagonist: the floating dock “Hidramar Ultra 22000”. This was stated by its president, David Hernández Cabrera, during his speech at the XI Port Breakfast, organized by manager Ana Vera and held this morning at the Real Casino of Tenerife with a large attendance.

“The arrival of the floating dock —he said— and the boost to naval repair activity in Tenerife is good news, and we believe in this project, which will help provide specialized jobs and added value, bringing wealth to the Canary Islands.”

However, the president of ACOESTE, true to his moderate, observant, and consistent line regarding maritime events, warned that “this dock, and especially the area around the ramp at the northern corner of the TCT Terminal and the first alignment of the dock, has become a very hot spot for operations and occupations of different traffic.”

In this regard, Hernández Cabrera emphasized that “it is very important to organize the spaces and operations so that the arrival of this structure allows for good coexistence with other traffic and operators, without harming the latter and also valuing the commitment, investments, and wealth that they have historically contributed over many years.

A direct reference from the president of ACOESTE to container movements, “both for consumption and transshipments, and the unloading of rolling cargo, general merchandise, bulk chemicals, fuels, grains… And, of course, the possible extra costs in the operations of their ships.”

“And on top of all this, we must add that some rolling cargo traffic is being diverted from the quay to the ramp of the Eastern Dock, due to the prohibition to operate at night, due to noise restrictions currently in place along the Anaga avenue front.”

“We are confident —emphasized the president of ACOESTE— that this coexistence is possible and I would say necessary for the proper functioning of operations at the Eastern Dock considering that the horizon is temporary, until the transfer of this floating dock, approximately between 2029 and 2030, likely to the industrial port of Granadilla, where the development of the naval repair industrial activity will make perfect sense, as it is so important and strategic for our province.”

After the elections held on March 24, the employers' association ACOESTE has renewed its trust for another four years in the board of directors led by David Hernández Cabrera — as already reported by puentedemando.com— “for the support and commitment they show every day to ACOESTE and our ports.”

“We face this new stage with some internal proposals that will help us be more effective on various issues and consequently try to be more useful in improving all activities, which is ultimately what it’s all about. In this way, we have tried to break down some activities to form very specific commissions led by some members of the board of directors,” he adds.

The format of the ACOESTE Port Breakfasts consists of a working meeting where maritime-port sector professionals come together to exchange ideas and different points of view in a cordial and close environment. “It’s about sharing what we are working on in our day-to-day to promote and enrich any initiative that can help the growth and development of our ports,” emphasizes Hernández Cabrera.

Manuel Martínez, special delegate of the State in the Free Trade Zone of Tenerife (ZFT)

On this occasion, the XI Port Breakfast featured a special guest: Manuel Martínez, special delegate of the State in the Consortium of the Free Trade Zone of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (ZFT), who outlined in clear and precise language the origins, foundations, and development of this important tool, dependent on the Ministry of Finance, which manages a defined, fenced, and monitored customs territory, where all kinds of goods are admitted for an unlimited time, regardless of their quantity and country of origin, destination, quantity, and nature, except for prohibited or illicit traffic.

During the time of stay in ZFT, the goods are exempt from tariffs, indirect taxes, and the application of trade policies. For this, it has 160,000 square meters of surfaces for the implementation of projects that want to develop different activities, given its versatility, compatibility with the Canary Special Zone, as it is part of the REF, and geographical location, situated between Africa, America, and Europe, as well as the simplification of customs procedures and institutional coordination.

Photos: provided for puentedemando.com