The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Alava and the Port Authority of Bilbao are holding the 5th Transmodal Forum in Vitoria- Gasteiz on May 17th.

Trips on offer from the Port of Bilbao by cruise liners and ferry will have a privileged position at the Expovacaciones Fair at Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) from May 10th to 13th. The Bilbao Port Authority will highlight its facilities for this type of tourism at Stand G-38 in Hall 3 where the three lines that offer trips from Bilbao and the ferry company will inform visitors of this attractive tourist option.

Last year, Bilbao Port’s traffic with the American continent reached the figure of 7.8 million tons, which is 5% more than in 2010.

The association Nakusarbe has presented the Bilbao Port Authority-sponsored documentary “Portuko urak, bizitza babeslesku” at the International Forum of Underwater Cinema in San Sebastian.

Bilbao Port has provided the first stopover in Spain for the ship “Cosmos”, one of the new ships of Chipolbrok, whose general agent in Spain is Marinter (Grupo Pérez y Cía.), and which was recently brought into regular service with the Middle East, India and Far East. The Chinese-Polish shipping company thus confirms its investment in Bilbao as its hub for project cargo in the Iberian Peninsula.

On 25, 26 and 27 April, Bilbao will be holding the Congress on large sea accidents, a forum between those responsible and professionals of sea and port safety organised by the Biscay Association of Merchant Navy Captains, Bilbao Port Authority and the Higher Technical School of nautical and naval machines.

The Port of Bilbao Authority has granted the Biscay Red Cross a 1,400 sq m warehouse to store an advanced medical station for use in incidents involving multiple victims, catastrophes or situations where the health services are overwhelmed.

This Wednesday, 28 March, the facilities that the Port of Bilbao has in Getxo will receive the Ventura, the largest cruise ship of this season and the first to visit Euskadi this year. It boasts a length of 289 metres, capacity for 3,600 passengers and 1,200 crew members. It belongs to the shipbuilder P&O, which in turn forms part of the Carnival group, the largest cruise ship group in the world..

Finnlines, from the Grimaldi group, has shored up its commitment to the Port of Bilbao with the incorporation of a large ro-ro vessel in the weekly service that joins Bilbao with the North of Europe. The “Finnsky”, like its sister ships “Finnbreeze”, “Finnsea” and “Finnsun”, which also ply the route, is 188 metres in length and can transport close to 200 platforms, 600 vehicles, 470 TEU and 75 reefers.

The Bilbao Port Authority will form part of the extensive business delegation set to accompany the Basque Government on its trade mission to India, the world’s fourth-largest economy and second most-populated nation, with close to 1.2 billion people. The delegation, headed by Basque president Patxi López, will visit Mumbai, Pune, New Delhi and Bangalore from 19 to 23 March.

The only Spanish port authority with this recognition and among the first companies in Biscay to be awarded the certificate

Yet again this year, representatives of the Bilbao Port Authority will take part in Seatrade Cruises Miami, the main international cruise fair, which will be held from 12 – 15 March. The Port of Bilbao will have its own stand at Booth 659.

In 2011, total traffic in the Port of, amounted to 31.7 million tonnes, 5.7% less than the previous year due to decreases in liquid and solid bulks.

As from 22 March, BBC Chartering’s new monthly service “BBC Euro-Asia Express Line”, will link Bilbao with ports in South East Asia, the Far East and the North of Europe. The service is mainly aimed at project loads, heavy-lift and general cargo.

On 24 February, Transfennica has launched a new direct weekly con-ro service between the Port of Bilbao and Tilbury, sailing from Bilbao on Friday afternoon and arriving at the British port on Sunday. From there, the vessel covering the service will continue on to Zeebrugge.

Astilleros Zamakona Shipyards has delivered its fourth vessel to Danish shipowner Viking Supply Ships As. The Brage Viking is 85 metres long with a 22 metre beam; it is highly sophisticated and incorporates the latest technological advances for petrol platforms in Arctic waters support.

The Dutch shipowner Transfennica, which links the Port of Bilbao with Zeebrugge three times weekly, has increased its line’s capacity with the introduction of the Kraftca and the Trica.

The Borrad of Directors of the Port Authority of Bilbao has granted two new concessions in the new quays of the port extension area.

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Basque Country, Mr. Iñaki Goirizelaia, and the Chairman of the Port Authority of Bilbao, Mr. José Ramón de la Fuente, have signed a new partnership agreement to carry out the “Port of Bilbao Biological Monitoring Plan: Campaign 2011”.

The Port Authority of Bilbao has redesigned its corporative web page, which includes a completely innovating version for information access via mobile phone both for iOS and Android platforms. Access information is available at www.bilbaoport.es.