The Bilbao Port Authority has awarded a contract worth €11,485,691 for the engineering, construction and installation of four solar photovoltaic (PV) plants to be integrated into its onshore power supply (OPS) system at the Port of Bilbao, according to the company's release.
The contract also includes comprehensive operation and maintenance services for two years, with an option to extend by one additional year.
The deadline for completing the construction works is eighteen months.
The contract has been awarded to a joint venture composed of four legal entities: Viuda de Sainz, S.L.; Radimer Servicios Energéticos, S.L.; Achiles Ingeniería Fotovoltaica, S.L.; and Solar 360 de Repsol y Movistar, S.L.
The project covers four sites: Zierbena Dock (maximum potential 809.6 kWp), the Santurtzi breakwater (494.36 kWp), A‑6 Dock ferry‑terminal pre‑boarding area in Santurtzi (2,424.4 kWp), and the Olatua cruise terminal car park in Getxo (527.12 kWp).
Once construction is completed, the awarded joint venture will provide operations and maintenance services for up to three years (two plus one optional).
The work is part of the BilbOPS project, which aims to enable vessels to connect to onshore power at ro‑ro, ro‑pax, container and cruise terminals and to produce renewable energy to power the OPS system.
The initiative includes 11 shore‑connection points with a combined capacity of 30 MW. Phase one is scheduled for completion in early 2026, with an investment of €4.7 million and a €3.9 million grant from the Recovery and Resilience Facility. Phase two, running from 2025 to 2027, has a budget of €50.1 million, financed via Connecting Europe Facility funds and the Port Authority’s own resources.
An €80 million loan from the European Investment Bank has also been secured.
From 2027, vessels at berth will receive renewable energy either via contracted distribution or through the port’s own generation.