SPAIN: On September 4 an agreement to build a new rail connection to the Port of Barcelona was signed by the Ministry of Development and the Catalunya regional government. Other partners in the project include railway infrastructure authority ADIF and regional operator FGC.
Through equal contributions from ADIF and Barcelona port authority APB, the Ministry of Development is to fund the €108m project, which will provide rail access to the new southern extension to the port. The single-track route will be dual 1 435 mm and 1 668 mm gauge throughout, with 1 000 mm gauge also provided on the section to be shared with FGC.
According to Development Minister Ana Pastor, rail traffic to and from the Port of Barcelona has grown from 557 000 tonnes in 2008 to reach 2⋅1 million tonnes in 2012, with rail’s share of the maritime container market growing from 3% to 12% over the same period.
