Open the port to the province to boost goods movement. This stands as a major objective announced by the new head of the Alicante Port Authority, Luis Rodríguez, during the December 15 opening ceremony attended by a large mix of business and industry leaders. Rodríguez, formerly the president of the Federation of Metal Entrepreneurs of the Province of Alicante (Fempa), brings a keen understanding of the region’s diverse production sectors and aims to unlock their potential to reinforce port activity. He is clear about the challenge ahead and insists that accelerating the region’s links with the Mediterranean Corridor will be essential.
Yet that is only one facet of Rodríguez’s agenda. His plans include promoting more businesslike and professional management, with a focus on energy transition initiatives and digitalization through collaborations with the Department of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism. The demonstration center for artificial intelligence will be housed in the former Amaro warehouses. And beyond that, efforts will continue in an area that will enhance the port’s contribution to provincial tourism with cruise ships calling at Alicante.
All of these steps will be incorporated into a strategic plan to be advanced by the province’s productive sectors, business associations, and municipalities in the months ahead. The Generalitat will support these efforts, noted Carlos Mazón during Rodríguez’s inauguration, adding that Port of Alicante performance will demand the same rigor as the Port of Valencia.
Just a day before Rodríguez assumed office, Óscar Puente, Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, shared awaiting news from the Port Authority of Valencia (APV): the Spanish Government intends to approve, at the upcoming Council of Ministers on December 19, the public tender process for the construction of the new northern expansion container terminal, valued at a little over 660 million euros.
The ambitious project faced opposition from political allies and neighborhood groups, yet enters a new phase aimed at meeting container traffic needs for the Valencia port over the coming years. The terminal, to be operated by the multinational TiL-MSC, is expected to involve an investment around 1.6 billion euros and will offer capacity for 5 million TEUs on a 136-hectare site. Officials anticipate the first phase could be ready within five years.
Work begins at the VW battery giga factory
Volkswagen commenced initial work for a major battery facility in Sagunto during the last week of November. In this initial stage, preparatory tasks and temporary installations are being set up to pave the way for the main construction at the start of next year. The Sagunto battery plant is projected to create about 30,000 indirect jobs, supplementing more than 3,000 direct roles announced by the company. Such mega-factory ecosystems typically attract ancillary activities in mineral supply, battery recycling, machinery development, and logistics. Volkswagen plans to invest around 3 billion euros in the factory, while Iberdrola commits about 500 million euros for a photovoltaic facility and the necessary energy infrastructure to power the plant with green energy.
Cox Group stays in Abengoa and plans to rack up $3bn invoices
The most significant transaction involving an Alicante-based entrepreneur unfolded last year when Enrique Riquelme, head of the Cox Group, acquired the insolvent assets of the Seville-based multinational Abengoa. The move followed a competitive bidding process that saw a 564 million euro bid succeed against competitors including Grupo Urbas, an American fund, and a Portuguese project manager. The court overseeing the case approved the deal, preserving about 9,500 jobs. Within two months, another 1,700 employees were brought back to Abengoa as projects restarted. Rebranded as Coxabengoa, the company’s strategic plan targets a turnover of 3,000 million euros by 2027 and a stronger footprint in the Valencian Community. This continuation signals a broader push to stabilize key industrial sectors in the region and sustain ongoing energy-related ventures.