The Port of Las Palmas consolidates itself as the epicenter of the industrial strategy of the national fishing sector. The acquisition of Unión Martín by the Galician giant Profand Fishing Holding reconfigures the power map in the Canary docks. This operation, sealed between Enrique García Chillón and the Alantra fund, absorbs a key structure that operated under the Ignauro Spain holding and includes the Valencian subsidiary Silomar. The move ensures the Galician company control over one of the most dynamic processing and distribution platforms in the archipelago. The companies based in the port area interpret this move as a direct response to the logistical demands of Mercadona. The supermarket giant has driven a radical transformation in its fish counters, eliminating the traditional counter in favor of product on trays, cut and ready for consumption. This transition requires that the processing plants located in Las Palmas assume a much larger industrial load, converting the dock into a value-added factory and not just a unloading point. The financial impact of the purchase places Profand above 1.2 billion euros in annual turnover, integrating the 135 million that Unión Martín contributed in its last consolidated exercise. The influx of Galician capital aims to reinforce the investment capacity in the Canarian facilities to respond to the 130 million euros in aid that Mercadona has distributed among its suppliers. The goal is clear: to technify the plants at the Port of Las Palmas to lead the supply of prepared fresh fish throughout the Spanish market. Within the port area, the operation is perceived as a shielding of activity against external competitors. Unión Martín, founded by José Lorenzo Martín, now becomes part of a vertical integration project that dominates from capture to supermarket shelves. This business concentration guarantees the stability of work loads in the port and strengthens the position of the Canary Islands as a strategic logistics platform for the large-scale processing of seafood.
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