THE PORT
A pillar of our economy, the Port serves as a reminder of our maritime past and our economic future. We would look to modernise our port facilities in order to both reduce the environmental impact of bunkering operations and take advantage of new opportunities for growth. Together Gibraltar will:
Work towards becoming a Green Port, reducing emissions caused by vessels in port through widening the use of Shore Power, which allows for cruise liners and other vessels to ‘plug in’ to our electricity infrastructure instead of using diesel generators. With the introduction of additional capacity through the LNG plant and our plans for renewable initiatives, we will look to reduce emissions caused by cruise liners in port by offering incentives to encourage the use of Shore Power.
To prepare us for the challenges of Brexit and beyond, improve the infrastructure required in the process of offloading and transport of shipping containers to allow for the expansion of our capacity.
Implement strict emissions standards to vessels anchored in our waters, and adopt innovative measures, such as air quality monitoring drones, to identify vessels in breach of our laws.
Ensure that vessels benefiting from our bunkering services are suitably anchored and served. This will be the result of a review of anchor points and infrastructure, with an objective of implementing a minimum bunkering distance of vessels from our shore. Together with local bunkering service providers, infrastructure will be reviewed for opportunities for modernization, including offshore power and a better means to share information between agents and the port authority.
Offer our visitors the best possible experience when visiting Gibraltar through further investment in our cruise terminal. While facilities will be provided in the terminal, including the opportunity for last minute or emergency purchases, a duty-free shop will not be permitted; rather, we will encourage visitors to venture into Main Street and beyond to enjoy Gibraltar. We note that cruise liners calling at Gibraltar was down 25% in 2019, while neighbouring ports did not see a similar reduction. A more attractive tourist and transport strategy will ensure that this trend is reversed in near future.
Review and supervise the allocation of licenses for Shipping Agencies in order to uphold quality standards of services.
Safeguard our coastal ecosystem. By implementing local biofouling requirements, we can prevent invasive algae and microorganisms arriving on the hull of visiting vessels from causing harm to our marine resources.