ESPO Award 2024: Let us present the shortlisted projects: Port of Huelva
29 October 2024
Under the theme “Port projects or strategies in the field of circular economy that benefit the city and/or the surrounding community”, the ESPO Award 2024 will go to the port managing body which has developed a circular economy strategy and/or a significant circular economy project involving different stakeholders in or around the port. The winning project will be a project which can clearly demonstrate efforts that actively engage the port and benefit the surrounding community through circular economy activities.
The four projects that are shortlisted for this year’s Award are the projects of : Port of Antwerp-Bruges (Belgium), Port of Gothenburg (Sweden), Port of Huelva (Spain) and Port of Sevilla (Spain).
ESPO is proud to present the shortlisted projects before the winner is announced during the traditional ESPO Award Ceremony and Dinner taking place on November 6 at the Albert Hall. Find out more about the project of Port of Huelva:
Port of Huelva, Spain
Sustainable Cold Logistics Hub
1. Congratulations! You have been shortlisted for the ESPO Award 2024! Could you briefly describe your project?
The Sustainable Cold Logistics Hub is a pioneering project based on circular economy principles. It harnesses the residual cold energy generated during the port-industrial regasification process of LNG and redirects it, through pipelines, to other port facilities that require cold energy for their activities. This process reduces the carbon footprint of refrigeration processes by more than 90%. One of the first and most important offtakers of this sustainable cold at the Port of Huelva is a large port warehouse dedicated to managing temperature-controlled goods, primarily food. This warehouse has been specifically designed to incorporate this sustainable cold into its freezing and refrigeration processes, thereby also reducing the carbon footprint for its food industry clients and benefiting the social environment in which it operates.
2. Could you tell us more about how your project contributes to the development of a circular economy in the port area? How does your port's circular economy strategy or initiative involve different stakeholders and benefit the city and the surrounding community?
The Sustainable Cold Logistics Hub contributes to the development of a circular economy in the port area by efficiently transferring residual cold energy from the LNG regasification plant to various consumption points within the port through a network of pipelines. Furthermore, the project is planned to expand with additional sections to meet the demands of other users in the surrounding economic and industrial areas. This innovative approach reduces the demand for conventional electrical energy for refrigeration and freezing processes in local industries, thereby lowering their carbon footprints, contributing to the EU's decarbonisation targets.
The Sustainable Cold Logistics Hub exemplifies our commitment to circular economy principles through strong public-private collaboration. We engage various stakeholders, including port businesses, government entities, and community organisations, to create synergies that drive sustainability.
Moreover, Huelva’s well-established agro-industrial sector, which focuses on agriculture, livestock, and fishing, benefits directly from this initiative. As the second-largest exporting province in Andalusia, our hub creates new opportunities for exporting temperature-controlled goods, thereby supporting rural development and economic stability in the region. By providing sustainable cold energy, we enable these industries to thrive, further contributing to the economic vitality of the port area and the surrounding community.
3. Could you describe the original and innovative character of your project?
From a technological standpoint, the main innovation of this project is the cold transfer technology itself, which allows the transfer of cold from the ENGÁS LNG plant to a facility that will use an intermediate refrigerant fluid, circulating through the cold pipeline network. This innovation, developed by ENAGÁS, is known as the "Cold Box," which will pump cold to end users in an ecological and sustainable way. The development of this technology has been awarded European patent EP3945239B1. In its application to the cold storage facilities of the company FRIPORTSUR (located at the South Pier Terminal, the Intermodal Terminal specializing in general cargo), technological innovation actions have also been developed, with funding granted by the regional government of Andalusia due to the facility's greater operational, energy, and environmental efficiency.
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4. Why do you think your project deserves to win the ESPO Award 2024?
We are convinced that this project perfectly brings together the principles of a circular economy, collaboration, and a balanced vision of sustainability, integrating business components, environmental responsibility, and social impact on the local community. For the Port of Huelva, it has been a valuable experience in public-private partnership, enhancing and investments, enabling an innovative and pioneering idea in Europe to become a concrete and sustainable reality. The ESPO Award 2024 would provide an excellent platform for visibility, encouraging other port environments to replicate this project in similar or other compatible port-logistics applications, based on circular economy’s principles.
"The Sustainable Cold Logistics Hub is a unique circular economy initiative that drives collaborations across multiple levels, including public-private partnerships, the energy industry and general cargo logistics, as well as energy efficiency and transition efforts."
Alberto Santana Martínez, Chairman Port Authority of Huelva
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