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Port of Gibraltar 2 THE PORT OF GIBRALTAR I PROFILE 1 Port of Gibraltar The Port of Gibraltar is abuzz with year-on-year increases in cruise ships, megayachts and bunker- ing, paving the way for exciting expansion plans. Located at one of the most unique maritime points on earth, Port CEO Commodore Bob Sanguinetti reflects on its changing for- tunes. Report by Andy Probert. N ew York may well be the city that never sleeps, but the Port of Gibraltar, at the midpoint between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, is certainly the maritime equiv- alent as it positively bursts with activity. “Despite the challenges in the global shipping sector and tough competition in the region,” reflected the Port Authority’s CEO, Commodore Bob Sanguinetti, “we are very much holding our own and pleased to report an increase in activity across all sectors.” From bunkering to cruise ships to megay- achts, volumes for 2015 were up and this trend has continued throughout 2016. While Gibraltar, even today, holds a unique fondness in the hearts of mariners, logistics managers and British tourists, the port is also becoming an important element in the tourism arsenal of the area, in drawing sea-goers ashore for longer stays. As much as it was important, down the ages, to the Greeks, the Moors, Spain and ultimately, now the British, the Overseas Territory outpost averages more than 70,000 ships through the Straits of Gibraltar and over 8,500 came to Gibraltar in 2015 including 5,500 for bunkering, and 180 cruise ships. The Port Authority’s CEO, Commodore Bob Sanguinetti, highlighted the fact that, in 2016, cruise ship visits were up by 10 per cent; superyacht dockings had risen by 20 per cent, while bunkering also saw a modest growth on last year. The increase in the superyacht sector is largely down to the increase in berths on an extended 500m stretch in the port Gibraltar: A Port of Surging Activity
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Port of Gibraltar 2
THE PORT OF GIBRALTAR I PROFILE
1 Port of Gibraltar
The Port of Gibraltar is abuzz with year-on-yearincreases in cruise ships, megayachts and bunker-ing, paving the way for exciting expansion plans.Located at one of the most unique maritimepoints on earth, Port CEO Commodore BobSanguinetti reflects on its changing for-tunes. Report by Andy Probert.
New York may well be the city that never sleeps, but the Port of Gibraltar, at the midpoint
between the Mediterranean and theAtlantic, is certainly the maritime equiv-alent as it positively bursts with activity.
“Despite the challenges in the globalshipping sector and tough competition inthe region,” reflected the Port Authority’sCEO, Commodore Bob Sanguinetti, “we arevery much holding our own and pleasedto report an increase in activity across all sectors.”
From bunkering to cruise ships to megay-achts, volumes for 2015 were up and thistrend has continued throughout 2016.
While Gibraltar, even today, holds a uniquefondness in the hearts of mariners, logisticsmanagers and British tourists, the port isalso becoming an important element in thetourism arsenal of the area, in drawingsea-goers ashore for longer stays.
As much as it was important, down theages, to the Greeks, the Moors, Spain andultimately, now the British, the OverseasTerritory outpost averages more than 70,000ships through the Straits of Gibraltar and over 8,500 came to Gibraltar in 2015including 5,500 for bunkering, and 180cruise ships.
The Port Authority’s CEO, CommodoreBob Sanguinetti, highlighted the factthat, in 2016, cruise ship visits were upby 10 per cent; superyacht dockings hadrisen by 20 per cent, while bunkeringalso saw a modest growth on last year.
The increase in the superyacht sectoris largely down to the increase in berthson an extended 500m stretch in the port
Gibraltar: A Port of Surging Activity
THE PORT OF GIBRALTAR I PROFILE
as well as co-ordinating with the localtourism authority to attract superyachtsfor longer visits to the Rock.
“The ties with the tourism authority arealso bearing fruit in the cruise ship sectorwith a combined effort to promote Gibraltaras a location that is rich in history anddiversity, and within easy striking distanceof the cruise terminal.”
Cruising PotentialThis has been underlined by two newinaugural visits in October 2016 by cruiseships. American ocean-cruising vesselM/V Clio made its call to Gibraltar with89 passengers and a crew of 60 aboard.
Cruise passenger ship MS Serenissima,belonging to British cruise firm NobleCaledonia, and with a gross tonnage of 2,598tand a capacity for 110 passengers, also madeits bow into Gibraltar the same month.
Meanwhile, bunkering continues to beanother mainstay of Gibraltar Port andanchorage and occupancy rates in the portacross all vessels have seen a combinedincrease of about 20 per cent.
The close proximity to Mediterraneanshipping lanes gives the port an idealadvantage in attracting ships looking fora convenient and efficient stopover forre-fuelling and access to first classmarine facilities.
Gibraltar, said Commodore Sanguinetti,is well adapted to offering a quick turn-around for time-constrained vessels thanksto its excellent and comprehensive marineservices, including the privately-owned
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Gibdock dry dock through to highly expe-rienced local agents and suppliers.
To push that advantage home, the PortAuthority attended a major bunkeringconference in Singapore with port opera-tors, to market the port. It also played hostto the prestigious International BunkerIndustry Association (IBIA) annual con-vention, attracting over 150 delegatesfrom 22 countries.
“The IBIA convention was an idealopportunity to highlight the wide rangeof services we can offer, over and abovesimple crew changes. It was consideredvery successful,” he added.
Gibraltar is the Mediterranean’s premierbunkering port, rocketing from a few hundredthousand tonnes 20 years ago to over fourmillion at a peak earlier this decade.
Port of Gibraltar 4
Port of Gibraltar CEO,Commodore Bob Sanguinetti
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THE PORT OF GIBRALTAR I PROFILE
5 Port of Gibraltar
In further developments, the PortAuthority has recently joined the Societyfor Gas as a Marine Fuel (SGMF).
The society is a non-governmentalorganisation (NGO) established to promotesafety and industry best practice in the useof gas as a marine fuel with over 100 mem-bers, including key ports such as Singapore,Rotterdam, and some of the most well-knownsuppliers and operators in this field.
It is seen a key step for the Port Authority,allowing it to draw on the technical expertiseand experience present in SGMF as itconsiders the possibility of LNG bunkeringin the future.
Commodore Sanguinetti commentedSGMF membership will open up consid-erable learning opportunities in the fieldof LNG in the shipping environment.
Plans Ahead for the FutureHe also highlighted a number of plans inthe pipeline to help enhance the port fur-ther in the maritime sector.
In March 2016, the Government ofGibraltar invited proposals for the designand construction of a land-based marinefuels storage and bunkering facility witha minimum storage capacity of 225,000cbmin the Mediterranean bunkering hub.These are still under consideration.
And a contract to install and supply thePort Authority’s new Vessel Traffic Services(VTS) system has recently been awardedto Norwegian company Kongsberg Norcontrol(KNC), a world leader in VTS surveillance.
Representatives of KNC have been inGibraltar to start project discussionswith the Port Authority as well as vis-
iting the new Port Tower building atLathbury Barracks where the system will be installed.
Commodore Sanguinetti said: “We aredelighted with the news of the contract awardto KNC and we look forward to this excitingopportunity to work with the company andimprove Gibraltar’s VTS capability.”
Challenges AheadHe said the development was crucial to the development of the new four-storeyport tower project which would provide a ‘fantastic vantage point’ to oversee someof the world’s busiest shipping lanes throughthe Straits.
“But what distinguishes us from otherports is the total commitment, profession-alism, flexibility and transparency of thelocal port community, working hard to
ensure safety at all times in and aroundthe port.
“In fact, the strong emphasis on safetynavigation and environmental protection,and everything that we adopt as best prac-tice, are the mainstays of the port’s suc-cess in the maritime world.”
He added: “The Port of Gibraltar is veryadaptable to the global trends in shipping,but is also very responsive to the challengesof the day.
“One such issue is assessing the effects ofthe pro-Brexit vote and we are working acrossgovernment and with the private sector tolook at what the implications might be.
“But, in the meantime, Gibraltarremains what it is: a port that is constantlyat work, managed by a strong team andensuring safety across all sections of themarine sector.” n
