Bilbao and its port

BILBAO

Bilbao, located in the centre of what is known as the Atlantic Arc, is a town boasting a long and rich maritime tradition with more than 700 years of history behind it. From the end of the 19th century, with the great spread of industrial and port activities, shipbuilding and shipping companies began to grow around the Port. These were later followed by stevedoring companies, consignees, auxiliary services, forwarders, logistics operators and a whole series of providers of different services which have led to the maritime-port industry having an enormous influence in the economy of the region, and by extension, in the Basque Country as a whole.

Growing port activity and the need for docks and port spaces to be adapted, on the one hand, to increasing vessel size, and on the other, to new logistics demands, made the development of the Port in the Outer Abra advisable.

Thus the Port and its complementary industry, handed the old docks over to the town for the creation of new spaces to be devoted to culture and to leisure, and for service industries to emerge.

THE PORT OF BILBAO

More than 200 companies employing 5,000 people are integrated in the port-maritime sector of Bilbao, thus making the port of Bilbao the main multi–modal centre in the North of the Iberian Peninsula.