The Bilbao Port Authority has today presented, at a press conference, the tender for technical assistance for the drafting of the Master Plan for the project ‘Getxo/Bilbao Sustainable Port-City: An Integrated Approach 2030+’, a strategic initiative covering the Getxo marina, the Arriluze area and the cruise ship terminal, within the municipal area of Getxo.

The presentation was made by Ivan Jimenez, President of the Bilbao Port Authority, accompanied by Amaia Agirre, Mayoress of Getxo, who highlighted the two institutions’ common desire to work together to define a project designed to ensure the best possible integration between the port and the city/town, based on a shared, coordinated and long-term vision.

In the coming days, the Bilbao Port Authority will put out to tender the technical assistance for the drafting of the Master Plan, which forms part of the Bilbao metropolitan strategy. The plan is expressly aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the European Green Deal and the Basque Strategy for Sustainable Development 2030.

A strategic, guidance-oriented and sustainability-driven Master Plan

The Master Plan is conceived as a short-to-medium term, strategic, guidance-oriented and non-prescriptive document, which will look at different development scenarios and define guidelines and criteria for future action without constituting in itself a formal urban planning instrument or generating direct legal rights.

“The aim of the plan”, the president explained, “is to transform and revitalise an iconic area of Getxo, strengthening its association with the sea and adding urban, social and economic value rooted in criteria of environmental, economic and social sustainability. It will be geared towards energy neutrality while maintaining the functionality of port services, mobility, innovation and digital transformation, with a view to becoming a benchmark for the port system and an international example of port-town integration”.

For her part, Amaia Agirre, the mayoress of Getxo, stressed that this tender represents “another step forward in a plan that offers a great opportunity to progress towards a lively, open port, one which is fully integrated into the town and designed for the people of Getxo”. In this sense, she highlighted the commitment to “a port that combines nautical and sporting activities with leisure facilities for local people, business activity and tourism potential, and rooted in criteria of environmental, social and economic sustainability”. Agirre gave particular importance to the active listening and consultation process now being launched, with a view to gathering, discussing and incorporating public opinion and input from social, economic and sports stakeholders, as well as all individuals and groups connected to the port. “Getxo is now embarking on an exciting new chapter: a more open, more sustainable port that is better integrated into urban life, and which will be a source of pride for all Getxo residents,” she concluded.

A 3-stage process

The Master Plan will be drawn up over a total period of eleven months, from when the technical assistance contract is awarded, with completion scheduled for mid-2027, and will be divided into three clearly differentiated stages:

• Initial proposal or technical draft: based on an analysis of the scope, diagnosis and definition of objectives and strategic alternatives.
• Process of public consultation and active listening: a structured process for comparing and gathering knowledge, interests and opinions from the various stakeholders involved: institutions, civil society, sports clubs, etc.
• Final version of the Master Plan: including, where appropriate, a reasoned summary of the feedback received and the final proposal, to be approved by the Bilbao Port Authority.

The consultation process will focus on social innovation, will be transparent and orderly and will channel contributions from institutions, economic sectors, the port community and civil society. In any case, the process will be focused on active listening and analysis, the input from which will be reflected in the final document in accordance with technical criteria and the general interest. The Bilbao Port Authority will be responsible for the management, coordination and final decision, in coordination with Getxo Town Council and all other relevant administrations.

Institutional coordination and regulatory framework

The Master Plan shall be drawn up in close coordination with the administrations with concurrent powers, including Getxo Town Council, the Basque Government and Bizkaia Provincial Council, and shall comply with the uses established in the current Delimitation of Port Areas and Uses of the Port of Bilbao, as well as with the provisions of the Special Plan for the Management of the Port of Bilbao Service Area.

Any subsequent developments that may arise from the Master Plan shall be processed, where appropriate, in accordance with all relevant legal, concessionary and environmental procedures, in compliance with current regulations.

A flagship project on different levels

The scope of the Master Plan, which lies between the roundabout leading to the Paseo del Marqués de Arriluce and the lighthouse at the Algorta breakwater, is envisaged as a flagship project at port, local and metropolitan level.

The objective is twofold: on one hand, to revamp the Getxo Marina to make it a benchmark nautical and sporting facility on the Atlantic coast, and, on the other hand, to consolidate Getxo as the gateway for cruise ship traffic in Bizkaia and to strengthen the role of Bilbao as a leading port in the north of Spain, generating economic activity for the entire region based on economic, environmental and social sustainability.

Analysis of opportunities and quality criteria

Amongst other aspects, the Master Plan will analyse the potential feasibility and suitability of a possible hotel development, as an element to be studied in addressing the town’s shortage of hotel accommodation and strengthening synergies with the existing hospitality sector. Any proposals in this regard will be assessed against criteria of landscape integration, sustainability and architectural quality, taking as a reference a maximum height of 16 metres, the same maximum height established for the entire area covered by the plan, and the minimisation of environmental and urban impacts.

A sustainable and innovative plan. Bilbao, one of Europe’s leading green ports

The sustainable and innovative nature of the Master Plan will be cross-cutting and non-negotiable, and is based on the position of Bilbao as one of Europe’s leading green ports, the result of a sustained strategy of decarbonisation, energy efficiency and environmental integration.

With this in mind, the Master Plan will take into account the onshore power supply (OPS) system for vessels at berth currently being rolled out by the Bilbao Port Authority through the BilbOPS project, as one of the key elements in moving towards the decarbonisation of port activity. The electrification of cruise ship berths will enable vessels to connect to the onshore power grid during their stay in port, avoiding the use of auxiliary engines by the end of 2027.

Once in place, this measure will lead to an estimated reduction in cruise ship emissions of between 85% and 95% over the duration of their stay in port, as well as a significant reduction in noise and local emission levels, contributing directly to improved environmental quality, citizen well-being and better port-town integration, in line with European climate targets and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The Master Plan will also set out objectives and targets in the areas of circular economy, climate change adaptation, biodiversity, renewable energy, water and energy efficiency, landscape integration, environmental health and digitalisation. Other features will include objectives for sustainable mobility, aimed at reducing dependence on private vehicles, promoting public transport and cycling, ensuring accessible and safe routes and optimising parking, while assessing the environmental and social footprint throughout the life cycle of possible actions.
Source: The Bilbao Port Authority