STORY: Spain sees surge in container traffic as ships detour due to conflict in Red Sea
SHOOTING TIME: Sept. 15, 2024
DATELINE: Sept. 18, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:31
LOCATION: BARCELONA, Spain
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of ports in Spain
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Spanish): CARLA SALVADO, Deputy general manager of Commercial and Marketing at the Port of Barcelona
3. various of ports in Spain
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Spanish): CARLA SALVADO, Deputy general manager of Commercial and Marketing at the Port of Barcelona
5. various of ports in Spain
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Spanish): CARLA SALVADO, Deputy general manager of Commercial and Marketing at the Port of Barcelona

STORYLINE:

Spanish ports are experiencing increased pressure due to surge in container ship traffic destined for Europe and the eastern Mediterranean as the ongoing conflict in the Red Sea continues to force vessels to avoid the Suez Canal and navigate around the Cape of Good Hope.
   
General goods traffic in Spanish ports went up by an average of 7.7 percent in the first half of this year compared to 2023, according to Spain's Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility. The figure was much higher in certain ports.
   
In the January-June period of this year, container traffic went up 16 percent in Valencia and general traffic in Barcelona surged by 23 percent, with transshipments jumping by 45 percent, according to the latest figures from the Port of Barcelona authority.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Spanish): CARLA SALVADO, Deputy general manager of Commercial and Marketing at the Port of Barcelona
"The Port of Barcelona has seen exponential traffic increase, particularly in transshipments, because ships bound for the eastern Mediterranean stop here and then smaller vessels are used to handle the final leg of their journeys."
   
As ports like Barcelona increasingly serve as platforms for redistributing goods to Europe and the eastern Mediterranean, they have had to re-organize their operations, including working at night and utilizing cruise ship terminals to accommodate additional container traffic.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Spanish): CARLA SALVADO, Deputy general manager of Commercial and Marketing at the Port of Barcelona   
"The port is ready. We have the most productive terminals in Europe, which means in terms of infrastructure, we are prepared. We also have sufficient depot facilities both inside and outside the port."
   
To avoid a repeat of the congestion experienced earlier this year, the Port of Barcelona plans to gradually open seven new berths at its Hutchison Ports Best container terminal before the end of the year, the Port of Barcelona authority said.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Spanish): CARLA SALVADO, Deputy general manager of Commercial and Marketing at the Port of Barcelona
"We're prioritizing solutions to our customers. We're doing all we can to help resolve the logistical problems they are experiencing in the eastern Mediterranean."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Barcelona, Spain.
(XHTV)