Spanish Delegation In Algeria To Rectify Losses Of More Than 300 Million Euros

A delegation from the port of Castellón in southeastern Spain, one of the country’s most important ports, has arrived in Algeria as part of a mission that is ostensibly commercial in nature, but in reality is an attempt to recover heavy losses incurred by companies exporting in the Valenciana Comunitat region through this port, especially the ceramics sector, which lost more than 300 million euros in two and a half years, according to Spanish media outlets.

In this context, Spanish media reported that the port of Castellón, which was one of the most important axes of trade with Algeria before the commercial break caused by the reversal of the government’s position on the Western Sahara issue, is currently conducting negotiations to re-launch four regular commercial shipping lines with Algerian ports, details of which were not mentioned.

According to the same sources, the trade mission that landed in Algeria, representing the Port of Castellón, is the first of this kind between the two countries since June 2022, noting that the Spanish delegation, during its three-day stay in Algeria, will meet with officials of local companies as well as the embassy of his country.

According to Rubén Ibáñez, head of the Castellón Port Authority, the aim of this trade mission is to re-establish relations with the Algerian economic fabric, which, according to him, was ‘one of the port’s most important markets’, with a total of 1 million tonnes of goods exported to Algeria in 2018, especially ceramic and ceramic products and machinery and equipment for this sector.

The same sources pointed out that the restoration of trade relations between this port and Algeria will most likely be done through four shipping companies: Algeria’s CNAN, White Line, MSC and Arkas.

According to the same sources, the visit, led by the head of the port authority, Rubén Ibáñez, also included meetings with representatives of several Algerian ports, logistics operators and companies related to the ceramic sector, in addition to meetings with several Algerian companies.

According to the same sources, the Spanish delegation’s visit to Algeria is eagerly awaited by the ceramic and porcelain sector and the equipment and machinery related to this industry, as the paralysis of exports for about two and a half years has caused significant financial losses.