COUNTRY REPORTSPAIN Fair winds and following seas Spain’s economy has been growing in spite of political instability and uncertainty in the run-up to the general election that took place in April. Wind power is big business in the country, and confidence that this industry will remain a stable source of work for project logisticians is running high. Megan Ramsay reports. he outcome of this year’s election, José María Martínez Gutiérrez, key government and is the main negative factor which at the time of writing looked account manager at Sarens Spain, explained: affecting investment in current and future likely to be the formation of a “The governmental instability – namely the projects. coalition government, could changes in the government, censorship “If those in power cannot be sure of their determine whether Spain sees motions, elections before the fulfilment of position even in terms of months, let alone Tcontinued economic growth – or not. mandates, and so on – affects every level of years, they will not commit to starting new 90 May/June 2019 www.heavyliftpfi.com COUNTRY REPORTSPAIN United Heavy Lift (UHL) delivered a 142,000 cu m shipment of wind turbine blades from China to Spain onboard the deck carrier Zhi Xian Zhi Xing. projects, and it is an uphill struggle to finish Foreign operators may be able to respond market with large volumes and it is not those that are under way.” more flexibly to changes in the supply-and- going to disappear,” he explained. Martínez added: “This political situation demand balance than those based in Spain, Spain currently exports large volumes of affects how other countries see Spain, and or even elsewhere in Europe. metal fabrication equipment such as boilers, investment possibilities here are very Still, Spain is a mature market, so extractors, reactors and transformers, all of difficult to achieve – or very costly.” Pérez-Torres Fernández feels it is unlikely which require heavy lift expertise, to Various industries across Europe are that foreign companies will be in destinations around the world. “facing a grey future”, according to Santiago competition with Spanish asset owners; pure Pérez-Torres Fernández, general manager at freight forwarders, on the other hand, may Exports logistics company Pérez Torres Marítima be in a more difficult position. “We also export production and extraction (PTM). Tighter environmental legislation While Pérez-Torres Fernández expects equipment for the oil and gas industry, with financial consequences – carbon taxes, that industrial project cargo will continue to photovoltaic plants, large infrastructure for instance – makes manufacturing an grow, driven primarily by demand from the works, cars and machinery, as well as many increasingly expensive business. Companies wind energy sector, PTM is seeking work in other value-added goods for heavy are moving production overseas, where other areas that are likely to remain stable in industries,” said Diego Castillo, deputy regulations are less strict and energy costs the long run, no matter how the political general manager of shipping company are lower. situation plays out. Marguisa. For example: “We are getting into the Still, the most popular exports from the Excess cargo capacity animal feed market, which mostly involves country continue to be from the automotive Spain is not immune to the problem of imports, because this is a fundamental industry. The country is the 16th-largest excess capacity in the cargo market, either. export economy in the world, according to There has been a concentration of Rates have risen a little, as the Economic Complexity Index, and the shipowners as rates fell in the wake of the top three commodities exiting its ports global financial crisis. Pérez-Torres consolidation has resulted in include cars and vehicle parts, as well as Fernández expects “more of the same” in the fewer vessels, but they have refined petroleum. next few years. He said: “Rates have risen a not risen enough. Indeed, Spain sees its fair share of ro-ro little, as consolidation has resulted in fewer cargo because of this, whether it is cars, vessels, but they have not risen enough.” – Santiago Pérez-Torres Fernández, PTM goods vehicles or machinery. “Goods United Heavy LiftUnited www.heavyliftpfi.com May/June 2019 91 COUNTRY REPORTSPAIN The port of Bilbao loaded its heaviest-ever cargo in February: a 2,450-ton (2,223-tonne) ship-to-shore (STS) crane. vehicles remain a fundamental driver of our traditional fuel sources and investing in Toro y Betolaza itself, in partnership with economy and overland transport companies clean or renewable energy generation. Finnlines (part of Grimaldi Group), opened keep opening new routes and new Currently, there are several projects across a terminal at the port of Bilbao in June last businesses. The majority of these exports are the country to dismantle nuclear and fossil year, with ro-ro access and additional space bound for European Union (EU) countries fuel power plants that have come to the end for today’s larger, heavier wind energy and North Africa,” said Castillo. of their lifecycle. shipments. He added: “Machinery is usually As for the sources that are replacing those The 110,000 sq m terminal features a equipment for national construction and plants, solar power is developing well – 500 m berthing line with a depth of 21 m, as civil engineering projects which, as well as hardly surprising, given Spain’s climate. Still, well as 21,600 sq m of covered warehousing. being produced for the local market, is wind energy is cheaper. Its ro-ro ramp has a capacity up to exported around the world.” Castillo outlined: “The main projects 250 tonnes, suitable for oversized cargoes. under way right now do not just relate to the However, Toro Ibargüen noted: “Wind Wind energy installation of new wind farms, which are energy is subsidised – it is not actually As for the wind energy business, almost reaching capacity in terms of onshore profitable in itself, so its success is subject to manufacturers such as GE, Vestas and facilities. There is also a great deal of political decisions. Who knows how long it Acciona set up factories in the country investment in repowering of existing will last?” approximately a decade ago to reduce their onshore sites as technology advances and logistics costs. becomes more efficient (see panel on p97). Export markets Further still, other industries (such as “On top of that, offshore wind farms are PTM has seen a great deal of wind metal fabrication) are adapting to making progress, reaching ever-greater energy-related shipments bound from Spain manufacture wind turbine components at depths and capacities.” for South America over the last few years, their facilities, said Gerardo Toro Ibargüen The country’s transport providers have initially to Brazil but subsequently Peru, of the commercial and traffic department at specialised significantly to support wind Argentina and Colombia. logistics company Consignaciones Toro y energy imports and exports with investment In the latter country: “Wind energy is a Betolaza. in terminals, larger ships and high-capacity newborn industry, and there are still no This is perhaps a sign of the decline in cranes, for instance. cranes to handle them at the ports, for Spain’s manufacturing sector – but it also instance,” Pérez-Torres Fernández said. indicates the continuing strength of the Other bright spots for Spanish exports of wind power market. Support for renewable energy wind power equipment include the rest of According to Fernando Arés, director, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and other industrial projects Spain at Bolloré Logistics, has created a project ‘boom’ Latin American countries such as Chile and “support for renewable energy has created a in Spain, which is expected to Mexico. project ‘boom’ in Spain, which is expected last at least another five However, Alfonso Hernández Gómez, to last at least another five years”. global development director at Like the rest of Europe, Spain is changing years. Coordinadora, said that renewable energy its energy policy, moving away from –Fernando Arés, Bolloré Logistics projects have stalled in Mexico, as the 92 May/June 2019 www.heavyliftpfi.com COUNTRY REPORTSPAIN country’s new government is placing more Windfloat unit from the manufacturing yard emphasis on oil and gas projects such as the to the loading wharf. The foundation will construction and refurbishment of refineries. then be transferred to a semi-submersible Still, the Spanish engineered transport barge, which will then be towed to sheltered management provider, through its Middle waters before the Windfloat unit is discharged. East office, has had a lot of work offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, and also has refinery European advantage projects lined up for the next couple of years Hernández Gómez observed that Northern in Peru. Europe is home to highly specialised Closer to home, many of Coordinadora’s companies at the cutting edge of wind Spanish clients have operations abroad, turbine development, and China is not yet especially France, Germany, the Netherlands able to compete with them. and Denmark, Hernández Gómez said. However, Marguisa’s Castillo said that Earlier this year, Coordinadora was Spain is increasingly importing a great deal selected to carry out the transport, load-out, of wind turbines from China. dry towage and float-off operations relating For example, blades for the Torozos wind to the Windfloat Atlantic manufacturing farm, which is being developed by Vestas in project led by Spanish shipbuilder Navantia. the Castilla y Leon region of northern Spain, Designed by US-headquartered offshore were transported from the Chinese port of wind technology company Principle Power, Dafeng earlier this year. which has subsidiaries in France and United Heavy Lift (UHL) handled the Portugal, Windfloat is a floating foundation transport of 156 wind turbine blades, for offshore wind turbines that enables them measuring 60 m in length and weighing to be sited in waters deeper than 40 m.