The Ministry of the Interior has officially published Order INT/1069/2026 in the Official State Gazette (BOE), approving the new Basic Civil Protection Planning Guideline for earthquake risk. The measure updates the national regulatory framework in force since 1995 and gives a leading role to transport and heavy transport infrastructure, positioning the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife as a critical hub for operational support, logistical assistance and evacuation in the event of seismic emergencies in the archipelago.
The legislation expressly recognizes the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife as one of the national territories with seismic hazard levels subject to mandatory special planning. Under the new text, the Tenerife port is included in the map of critical infrastructure required to adapt its self-protection plans to enhanced seismic-resistance requirements, ensuring the operational continuity of essential services and the supply chain in the event of any geological emergency.
The new regulatory framework stresses the need for regional special plans and port facilities to guarantee the operability of docks for the reception of humanitarian aid, the deployment of intervention units from the National Civil Protection System and the possible evacuation of people. The basins of the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife—due to their berthing capacity, logistical area and maritime interconnection—are defined as strategic platforms for supporting heavy logistics and the flow of emergency resources in the event of major earthquakes affecting the island network.
The guideline approved by the Council of Ministers requires port facilities to be reviewed and adapted in accordance with seismic-resistance standards for buildings and infrastructure of special importance, including passenger terminals, maritime traffic control centers and storage facilities for fuel or dangerous goods. The text also emphasizes the need to consider compound or cascading risk scenarios, such as tsunamis or landslides, while optimizing early-warning systems and the integration of seismological data.
Inter-administrative coordination and local action plans
The entry into force of the Basic Guideline requires the competent authorities in the Canary Islands to update their Special Civil Protection Plans, harmonizing the operational capabilities of the Port Authority with the response structures of local and regional administrations. The ministerial mandate requires specific protocols to be established for the protection of port personnel, the safety of vessels in port and the safeguarding of critical goods.
The inclusion of the Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the national protection framework for earthquake risk ensures that its docks are prepared for extraordinary contingencies, guaranteeing that the main maritime connectivity hub in the western province can maintain uninterrupted logistical operations in the face of any regional seismic event.
The article Santa Cruz de Tenerife Port, a key element in the new earthquake-risk framework was first published on canarymaritime.com.
