Port of Nagoya strengthens commercial ties with Bilbao
A delegation from the port of Nagoya, one of Japan’s major ports, has visited the port of Bilbao to strengthen commercial ties.
In the course of the visit, the delegation from Nagoya expressed particular interest in the leading role of the port of Bilbao as a hub for wind energy and a benchmark in energy transition, with cutting-edge projects such as the electrification of the docks which will enable vessels to switch off their engines whilst berthed to reduce emissions and noise levels.
The delegation, consisting of 30 people from the logistics, port and industrial sectors, was headed by the Senior Assessor of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Nagoya, Mr Jiro Takahashi, and by the Executive Vice-President of the Port Authority of Nagoya, Mr Yuji Kamata. The business mission was hosted by Mr Andima Ormaetxe, Director of Operations, Commerce and Logistics of the Port Authority of Bilbao, who explained and showed them around the services and terminals of the port, highlighting its high share of rail intermodality, its diversification and the strong industrial component that differentiates the port of Bilbao from others.
After their visit, the representatives of the port of Nagoya declared that “the environmental measures taken at the Port of Bilbo are indeed ambitious and impressive. Windmill towers and blades stacked at its yards are overwhelming, which we felt illustrating the Port’s determination towards energy transition. Global warming is something that the world ports need to address in collaboration, and we hope to continue exchange information with the Port of Bilbao in a proactive manner”.
Delegation from the port of NagoyaDelegation from the port of Nagoya
Trade between the Basque Country and Japan, excluding energy products, accounts for 21% of total trade between Spain and Japan. Traffic between the port of Bilbao and Japan rose sharply in 2022 (+75%) due to an increase in imports of steel products. Japan ranks fifth in terms of traffic of conventional breakbulk cargo through the port of Bilbao.
The Japanese business mission to Europe has also included visits to the ports of Antwerp-Bruges, Naples and Barcelona.
