The race for dominance in cargo transport in the Mid-Atlantic requires constant adaptation of land infrastructures to accommodate the gigantism of global fleets. In this highly competitive logistics scenario, the Presidency of the Port Authority of Las Palmas has activated the public tender for file I-2026/18, a civil engineering project focused on replacing the cable protection system of the Cristóbal Colón Dock. The contract, processed through a standard open electronic contracting procedure, has a base bidding budget and an estimated value strictly amounting to 861,900 euros, exempt from any type of financing from European Union funds. The deadline for receiving bids from tendering companies will remain open until July 7, 2026, at 14:00 hours. The investment directly responds to the profound operational mutation experienced by the customs area of Gran Canaria, where the Cristóbal Colón Dock and the León y Castillo Dock jointly form the docking perimeter of the largest container terminal at the port. This strategic node has recorded significant growth in the movement of containerized freight during the last few years, consolidating markedly upward traffic projections in the short and medium term. The increase in the dimensions of the container ships covering transoceanic routes has forced the terminal to equip itself with higher capacity Post-Panamax cranes, culminating in the last two years with the reception of four large cranes of the Malaccamax type, capable of operating with up to 25 rows of reach in the maneuvering area. The deployment of this new heavy machinery has saturated the support systems in the operational area of the dock, a space that is specializing in the docking of large vessels with lengths exceeding 300 meters. The incorporation of the four Malaccamax cranes has required a complete modification of the energy supply system, causing a densification of the electrical lines that saturates the interior space of the current protective gutter. The first major intervention documented in the technical specifications of the CPV code 45244000-Maritime works will consist of the removal of the old piping shielding and the installation of a new protection system that will be directly supplied by the Port Authority itself. The energy redesign of the terminal also includes modifications in the medium voltage network to ensure continuity of supply and operational safety of the ramp machinery. The projected civil works contemplate the joining of the electrical supply pits located between bollards b26 and b34. Although both pits currently receive independent power from the port’s main distribution center, they lack a physical connection between them. The execution of the project will allow interconnection to formalize a ring closure in the medium voltage network, minimizing system failure risks and optimizing load distribution during critical loading and unloading maneuvers of goods. The last phase of the structural reform addresses the climatic and safety servitudes of the Atlantic coastline, altered by the greater sail effect of the new cranes with 25 rows of reach. The installation of emergency braking systems for contingencies of strong winds, technically referred to as Tie-Down, will be executed in the operational area near the dock’s edge. While the anchoring devices will be provided by the terminal operating company, the contractor awarded the public tender will assume their fixation and integration into the port pavement. With this tender, Las Palmas seeks to ensure the stability of its main container terminal before the end of summer 2026, safeguarding its position as a transshipment port against the logistical alternatives of the West African coast.
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