The introduction of a standard gauge network for rail freight in Spain is proceeding along its eastern coast. Now it will be the turn of the port of Alicante, which will become the third Spanish port with a 1435mm gauge connection after Barcelona and Valencia.
The contract, put out by the Spanish infrastructure manager Adif, concerns a 75-kilometre line between Alicante and La Encina, as Spanish media El Mercantil mentioned. The so-called ‘third track’ will accommodate trains up to 750 metres in length. The total investment is 130 million euros.
The third track
Currently, the port of Alicante is connected to the junction in La Encina by a single, Iberian gauge track. The city of Alicante, on the other hand, is already equipped with a double, standard gauge track leading all the way to Madrid but is only used by high-speed passenger trains. Hence the new ‘third track’ will create a mixed gauge line for freight services.
Standard gauge for freight in Spain
Spain’s plan is to create a standard gauge network along its section of the TEN-T Mediterranean Corridor to facilitate international rail freight connections. So far, only Barcelona can count on a line that leads into France. Works are underway to extend this line to the port of Tarragona.
Going further south along the coast, the port of Valencia is connected to the port of Castelló, but the line does yet continue north towards Tarragona and France. South of Valencia is where Alicante is located. Other than the Alicante-La Encina connection in standard gauge, Spain is also working on the La Encina-Xàtiva and Xàtiva-Valencia sections.
The port of Alicante
The port of Alicante exists since at least 1271, serving the industrial areas along the River Vinalopó. Currently, it mostly deals with dry bulk and general (50% and 48% of its total throughput respectively. Liquid bulk only make up 2% of the total traffic. The port is not necessarily (yet) known as a strong rail freight hub, but hopefully these new projects will boost the modal shift.