Barcelona International Terminal (BIT), a joint venture between SGS and Masiques, has announced plans to build the most advanced coffee terminal in southern Europe.
Construction of the new terminal at the Port of Barcelona will cost around €30m (£26m).
The Barcelona Free Zone Consortium (CZFB) will invest €20m in the project, while the Port of Barcelona will provide €10m for the transfer of the current BIT facilities, to meet Elian’s need for space to expand the terminal run by this company within the port precinct.
The new BIT will be built in section VI of the Ronda del Port, on a plot of 53,380m² (c. 575,000ft2). It will be run by CZFB under a management concession for the next 50 years.
The terminal will include two warehouses connected by a canopy, offices and spaces for loading and unloading trucks. The buildings will incorporate solar thermal and photovoltaic systems and constant temperature and humidity control to guarantee optimal conditions for the green coffee beans stored there.
The coffee terminal will take 36 months to complete, according to a release from the Port of Barcelona.
“BIT is the leading green coffee terminal in southern Europe, and the new project that we are presenting will allow it to maintain this leading role,” explained José Alberto Carbonell, president of the Port of Barcelona.
Currently, 80% of the coffee that arrives in Spain passes through the Port of Barcelona.
BIT manager Marc Tauste said that the new terminal will enable the port to increase its capacity.
“Our new facilities will have two distinct buildings that will house various activities related to coffee logistics. The fully-automated, modern equipment will allow us to double our current production capacity and optimise logistics operations. This will be one of the most modern and sustainable coffee terminals in the world,” Tauste said.
The concession for the future terminal will last for 50 years.
