Santander and Bilbao Have the Best Bulk Terminals

The solid bulk terminals at the ports of Santander and Bilbao maintain their leadership positions among the best in the world for another year, according to the fourth edition of BIMCO's annual report on dry bulk terminals (Dry Bulk Terminals Vetting Report 2019). These results are the consequence of a questionnaire consisting of 36 questions regarding service quality across five general categories: berthing and mooring of each terminal, general services, equipment, information exchange between the vessel and the terminal, and loading and/or unloading operations.

The port of Santander is one of the most highly rated during this period, receiving a total of 24 responses to the questionnaire and achieving a very good score (4 out of 5) in all sections, placing it third in the world. The port of Bilbao, on the other hand, received the highest rating in the information exchange section and very good ratings in the others, based on the eleven reports received. The Marsden Point terminal in New Zealand received the highest rating, while the large Port Hedland terminal in Australia came in second.

A total of 1,090 reports from 161 vessels regarding 419 terminals in 89 countries have been received, evaluating their performance, safety standards, and the turnaround time of vessels at each port. The results provide insight into the characteristics necessary to be a “good bulk terminal.” This edition has achieved a 28% increase in the number of reports compared to the previous one, although more data is still needed.

After stabilizing the growth of the annual reports received, BIMCO now faces the challenge of achieving greater geographical dissemination, which has been lower than expected during this period. A higher number of vessel reports will allow for more accurate ratings and provide greater validity to the results. For this reason, BIMCO urges shipping companies to participate by sending reports on their vessels' calls at bulk terminals worldwide.

Photo: Port Authority of Santander