Tenerife Port to Fast-Track Grain Unloading

On Monday, the Santa Cruz de Tenerife Port Authority, dockworkers, various companies, and the business group CEOE Tenerife agreed on new steps to speed up the unloading of grain used for animal feed.

Among these measures, animal feed manufacturers will now give earlier notice of when grain ships are expected to arrive. The Port Authority will also be more open about which docking spots (berths) are available at the East Dock, similar to how they share information about cruise ships.

The meeting included representatives from groups like ASAGA, FEDEPORT, ASINCA, and CEOE Tenerife, along with the Port Authority itself and members of the Port Employment Center, who represent the port's dockworkers.

According to a statement from the Port Authority, discussions also covered increasing the number of dockworkers, which has grown from 147 to 203 and is expected to reach 220 by next year. Another point was improving the third berth at the East Dock through a project to move bollards (posts for tying ships), which will make it easier for machinery to operate there.

Pedro Suárez, president of Puertos de Tenerife, mentioned that grain can also be unloaded at Los Llanos Dock, though this is only for ships up to 135 meters long.

Companies that make animal feed emphasized the importance of quickly making grain unloading smoother and helping the port of Tenerife continue to handle more traffic.

CEOE Tenerife thanked the Port Authority for being willing to talk and reach agreements. They also committed to connecting with other port users to improve coordination and benefit everyone involved, the statement added.

All parties agreed to monitor how well these new initiatives work, especially with the upcoming Christmas season. They will track progress and, if necessary, call another meeting with the operators involved.