European affairs

The Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan is an instrument promoted at the European Union level, aimed at mitigating the impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as transforming society. Its objectives are to modernize the productive fabric, promote "decarbonization" and respect for the environment, promote digitalization and the improvement of structures and resources for research and training, in accordance with the framework established in Regulation (EU) 2021/241 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).

The Bay of Algeciras Port Authority participates in this mechanism with eight specific actions, distributed in three blocks: actions on environmental sustainability and energy, other actions on environmental sustainability and energy, and actions on rail accessibility.

Among the main requirements established to be able to participate in said mechanism, the following are established:

• a) No Conflicts of Interest Policy, together with a procedure to address conflicts of interest.
• b) Plan of anti-fraud measures.
• c) Clear mechanisms for reporting suspicions of fraud (Ethics Channel).

These measures, already implemented by APBA, can be consulted in the Transparency section of the corporate website.

In addition to them, the use of communication and advertising tools is established as mandatory for all beneficiaries for projects financed by EU programs, decision-making and executing entities.

These tools are an important part of all the programs promoted and financed by the EU, which seeks to create a feeling of belonging among the European population and that citizens become aware of the task of the European Union to improve their quality of life, economic and environmental sustainability, and the future.

The Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan explicitly states that the participants in the Plan must be in charge of information management and the "publicity of the financed actions" in order to guarantee transparency in the management of the funds and make visible the decisive role of the European Union in the process of reactivation and transformation of the economy after the Covid-19 pandemic.

That is why APBA, as executing entity and carrying out an exercise in transparency, makes public the list of beneficiary projects through the Recovery and Resilience Facility:

• Project for the installation of systems for APBA electrical consumption control
• New air conditioning and lighting equipment for APBA buildings
• Replacement of existing conventional lighting with LED technology in the ports of Algeciras, Tarifa and Campamento
• Self-consumption: Photovoltaic solar energy in APBA buildings
• Evolution of the vehicle fleet towards electric motors
• OPS implementation for ships docked at the Port of Algeciras
• OPS implementation for ships docked at the Port of Tarifa
• Signalling and Security System to regulate rail traffic in the Port of Algeciras. Phase II (within the port service area)

The Algeciras Bay Port Authority (APBA) has begun drafting the projects to improve the capacity of its railway infrastructure, as well as the so-called last mile, works that are co-financed by the Connect Europe Facility Funds (CEF), an instrument funding from the European Commission for the development of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN –T) to which the Central Branch of the Mediterranean and Atlantic corridors Algeciras-Madrid belongs.

The initiative contemplates important actions outside the port area, beginning with the design of the auxiliary technical facilities outside the area to be able to carry out operations and formations of freight trains of up to 750 meters that would support the operation of the Rolling Highway, as well as other actions aimed at improving the safety and reliability of the infrastructure, in collaboration with ADIF, such as the drafting of the track doubling project that will connect the Port of Algeciras terminals with the new Botafuegos technical facility, located about 5 kilometres from the port. Within the port area, the future expansion of the Isla Verde Exterior railway terminal (T1) will be projected with the aim of adapting it to the expected traffic in the medium and long term.

Thus, APBA has begun the study of alternatives, which will be followed by the basic and construction projects of these actions as a consequence of the T1 volume of railway activity, which grows at a rate of 30% compared to last year and the expected volume thanks to the Railway Highway activity in T2.

The works, which have been launched in recent weeks, have a term of 2 and a half years and represent an investment of 1.9 million euros co-financed with CEF Funds, awarded in October 2021 and identified as Action No: 2020 -ES-TM-0052-S.

• Actions and last mile improvement Central Branch