As President of the Port Authority, it is my honour once again to present the web site of the Port of Cartagena, an instrument which is designed to guide the reader through the background details of the business of the port and the services available to users. During these hard and difficult times, with the port system experiencing decreases nationwide, our port carries on with its policy of control of expenditure and the quality and competitiveness of those services we offer our clients. This attitude, acquired over the past ten years, allows us to minimize the consequences of the general crisis in which we are submerged.

Thanks to this, we are in a position to continue with the projects which are currently underway. In the Cartagena Basin, the expansion of the Cruise Terminal will allow the simultaneous berthing of two cruise ships, an ever more frequent event, given that we are experiencing serious growth in the number of calls both in 2009 and 2010.

In the dock of Escombreras, the expansion project undertaken at the end of 2000 is now approaching the last of its stages, a multipurpose terminal for solid bulks, which together with the pier for liquid bulks which is operated by Repsol, the solid bulks Terminal of Ership and the ample adjacent industrial zone, contribute to maintaining the area of Escombreras as one of the most important industrial concentrations of the country, with a production of electricity greater than 10% of the usage of all of Spain. And the most exciting project, both for its importance, as for what it means to the Region of Murcia, and because it is a significant challenge to our team, can be found in the dock of El Gorguel. The project is at a crucial stage, undergoing studies in the Ministry of Development, backed up by the favourable report of the State Ports.

The new dock of El Gorguel will provide the Port of Cartagena and the Region of Murcia with new container, Ro/Ro, and general goods terminals, thus creating a logistic centre right on the axis of commerce between the United States and Asia, as well as facilitating integration in the socalled "motorways of the sea" and allow the implantation of transoceanic container lines. This will be possible thanks to the fact that the new dock will have depths which have been hitherto unthinkable in Mediterranean ports, with ample quays which will allow to berth the largest container ships in the world, a 100,000 Teus capacity.

We are proud to be able to grow within the most scrupulous respect of the environment, as shown by the Certificate UNE-EN-ISO 14001/2004, which Cartagena possesses since 2004, the adherence to the EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), having fulfilled the strict requirements established by the EU Regulation 761/2001 (EMAS), and the adherence to the Social Environment agreement promoted by the Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia.

Quality, understood to be a philosophy of work, is reflected in the final presentation of services to the client, an important labour of commercial promotion led by the Port Authority which more and more companies from the port community are joining, the exhaustive control of expenditure, with the consequent optimisation of resources and the lowering of prices of services, and the security of operations, both for people and goods, are the pillars which uphold our corporate project.

We are experiencing difficult times, and it will be some time before the economy can overcome this terrible crisis which has taken the world. Meanwhile, we have no doubt that we will stay afloat, mainly thanks to the efforts of the team of personnel which forms the Port Community, which during moments of difficulty never hesitate to give the best of themselves in order to deal with any challenge. I express my most sincere thanks to all of them and to our clients, who still confide in our capability, certain that the future holds great success for all.

So without further ado, here you have the web site of the Port of Cartagena, which I hope becomes a vehicle through which you can learn about the reality of this port and the possibilities which are at your entire disposition.

Come in, and welcome.

Adrián A. Viudes Viudes
President