UNIPORTBILBAO | Chairman

UNIPORTBILBAO
Chairman
F. Jaber Bringas

For 25 years, this “quarterly newspaper” has been reporting on what has happened in the principal Basque port, one of the referential logistic enclaves of Southern Europe, not only in tons, but also for what we mean for industry, logistics, trade, the general public and, in general, for the economic-social fabric of the “hinterland” we serve.
The logistic-port community has left a report of the things done in these one hundred editions: investments, enlargements, achievements, markets and business diversification (who would have thought shipping companies could also become airlines?)…. We have seen the merger of stevedores and shipping companies, their technological progress and the new administrative challenges of shipping agents, freight forwarders, customs and all the port services. We have witnessed the birth of new firms and the appearance of new traffic, the disruptive evolution of digitalisation and sustainability, which now covers all the aspects of our business. Without forgetting something essential: Improving the skills, training and safety of our workers.

Achievement by achievement and news report by news report,  we have built the port we are because the same as cities are made by people, ports are made by logistic communities. Bilbao port groups together to grow, and grow together, in UniportBilbao, a unique cluster in Spain, an example for others, bringing together skills and know-how, bringing together improved competitiveness and promotion, and which the Basque institutions are as proud of as us, as can be seen in the collaborations in this edition. Making this public-private collaboration to be more competitive one of the most outstanding achievements of this community.

In these pages, we have also expressed that we are optimistic and tough. We have had to act in complex situations and stand firm supporing the internationalisation of importers and exporters.
In these last 25 years, the companies associated with  Uniport- currently 138 – have invested 4,000 million euros, and 60% of private companies offered new jobs in 2021. 1,300 people were hired, according to our survey made for the Basque employment service, Lanbide. We also provide work stability, as rotation is 1.7 contracts per person, compared to the average of 3 contracts in the Basque Country. At the same time, we want to attract more talent, be an attractive alternative for young people and, of course, incorporate more women.
Therefore, today, we look to the future with enthusiasm and always united as a logistic-port community around a multimodal cluster that generates the port of Bilbao. This newsletter will continue to be that  “quarterly newspaper”.