The Port of La Luz and Las Palmas closed the first week of September 2026 with high operational intensity, driven by the consolidation of hydrocarbon flows, the resilience of inter-island supply chains and renewed momentum in ship-repair and offshore infrastructure. Against an Atlantic backdrop marked by the reorganization of transit routes, the bay of Gran Canaria recorded the movement of 53 vessels coordinated by 22 shipping agencies, handling a total of 97,259 tonnes of commercial cargo through quay operations and ship-to-ship transfers in the bay. This information was independently compiled by the Canarymaritime editorial team under exclusively editorial criteria, with no commercial consideration or ties to the entities cited.
Energy engine and major discharges
The dock’s macroeconomic engine once again centered on imports of petroleum products and complex bunkering logistics. The operation involving the largest financial volume at shore-based facilities was carried out by the tanker Mica, consigned by Ibérica Marítima Islas Canarias. The 183-meter vessel berthed at Nelson Mandela Dock to transfer 43,199 tonnes of diesel directly to the quay, combining the commercial discharge with MARPOL oily-waste management. This major quay-side flow was joined by Next Maritime, which managed the discharge of 29,959 tonnes from the Happy Lady while berthed alongside, and simultaneously coordinated an alongside/offshore operation in the outer waters of the North Roads for the transfer of 4,000 tonnes of fuel oil to the tanker Clean Ocean, which was at anchor.
Express supplies in open water
In the express marine-supply segment in open water, activity was clearly divided between anchorage waters and shore-based shipyards. Wilhelmsen Ships Service Canarias handled the largest tonnage in the South Roads by overseeing the anchored transfer of 10,375 tonnes of petroleum products to the Gem Turquoise and the operation involving the Yi Chun 15 (610 tonnes at anchor), while also providing technical support alongside at the northern section of Reina Sofía for the Skoul Louet and at the Zamakona shipyard facilities for the Skoul Ruz. Meanwhile, Gibunco Ship Agency conducted all of its operations in the anchorage area, with five vessels assigned to the outer and inner roads—Nova Caeli (600 tonnes), Majestic Nesrin (500 tonnes), Mount Olympus (400 tonnes), Anna (150 tonnes) and Hercules Sun—ensuring fuel supplies in open waters.
Operational efficiency at anchorage
The optimization of anchorage times compared with alongside berthing enabled other specialized firms to maintain a steady volume of maritime operations. Consignaciones Ortiz coordinated supplies at anchorage for the Vita Athina (815 tonnes) in the South Roads and the Ikaria Angel (670 tonnes) in the area between the breakwaters. AlfaShip Shipping Agency handled the anchored cargo operations of the Polar Ace (1,300 tonnes) and the Kmarin Regard, reserving shore-side berths for the technical call of the Novaya Zemlya at Grande Naciente. Along the same lines, Mh Bland ensured anchored supplies in the South Roads for the Azul (650 tonnes) and the Minorca (610 tonnes), while Downwind Maritime focused its shore-based operations on the alongside loading of 250 tonnes of fuel onto the Ekmen Trans at Nelson Mandela Dock.
Container traffic and island connectivity
In the area of container transport and regional connectivity, activity took place entirely at shore-based terminals and quays. Mediterranean Shipping Company España (MSC) reaffirmed its position by berthing at Cristóbal Colón Quay to handle 1,000 tonnes of cargo in transit aboard the MSC Thais—a giant measuring 364 meters in length—while keeping only the Msc Alix 3 at the outer anchorage as a precaution.
At the berths of Cambulloneros Basin and Virgen del Pino Quay, Miller y Cía. handled ashore the discharge of 1,500 tonnes of diesel from the Kosovo and the movement of 200 tonnes of containerized cargo from the Macarena B. Likewise, in inter-island ro-ro and passenger traffic, Naviera Armas—berthing at Nelson Mandela with the Sicilia and Ciudad de Ibiza, together handling 300 tonnes—and Fred. Olsen—with its regular calls by the Marie Curie, Breñas Cargo and Bentayga Cargo at Cambulloneros, and the León y Castillo—maintained the uninterrupted flow of roll-on/roll-off cargo and passengers through the shore-based terminals.
Auxiliary fleet and environmental services
The full roster of shipping agents drew a clear line between quay-side operations and anchorage stays. Support logistics, environmental services and the auxiliary fleet combined assistance at the quay with maintenance afloat. Intercop balanced the alongside discharge of 170 tonnes of diesel from the Astraea at Grande Naciente Quay with the collection of MARPOL waste at the quay for the Irene, Arguin and Al-awam at Reina Sofía and Cory Poniente. In parallel, Canarship acted as agent for the week’s largest fleet berthed at shore-based facilities, comprising eight vessels—Ensco Ds-11, Atwood Archer, Atwood Admiral and Borgland Dolphin at Reina Sofía; Ramform Tethys at Santa Catalina; Ocean Mermaid at Sanapu; and Linde-g and Astra G at Refugio and Grande Poniente—focused on support for oil platforms, geophysical research and waste removal.
Technical maintenance and operational map
In the anchorage area, Agmar handled the outer stay of the merchant vessels Orange Ice and Savanna Breeze; Equinox Ship Agents oversaw the anchorage of the Bluefin; and Erhardt Shipping Services served the Pericles in the North Roads. By contrast, shore-based operations were completed with J.A. Arocha providing assistance to the Atlantic Whale at Grande Quay and carrying out Al Rahma’s regular activities, while Andrés Perdomo attended to the Atlántico Dos and Adsa Uno at the shore-side berths of Agüimes Quay. Finally, Noatum Maritime acted as agent for the alongside operational call of the Industrial Challenger at Reina Sofía; A. Pérez y Cía. handled repairs to the Pacific Venture; and Incargo managed the stay of the hydrographic survey vessel Investigador I at South Cambulloneros Quay.
The article Las Palmas port opens September with 53 vessels and 22 shipping agents driving activity was first published on canarymaritime.com.
