The President of Tenerife’s Cabildo, Rosa Dávila (Canarian Coalition), has once again put a stop to the possibility of building the Fonsalía port (located on the coast of Guía de Isora municipality) this Wednesday. Instead, she has chosen to focus on enhancing the operation of Los Cristianos port and improving traffic flow in the area.
During a press conference to announce the Government Council’s decisions, reference was made to a meeting involving the Canary Islands Government, Ports of Tenerife, and local councils, where strategies have been discussed to alleviate congestion at Los Cristianos port.
The focus is now on implementing “immediate actions” at the port’s land area, especially in preparation for Easter to avoid cars blocking port exit routes. In the medium term, there are plans to bury Chayofita Avenue, a project estimated at around 90 million euros.
Efforts are also being made to shift some of the cargo transport to Granadilla port. “That’s our current priority,” stressed the officials.
Vice President and Minister of Tourism, Lope Afonso, expressed disappointment that the debate on this issue has resurfaced, given the government’s unfulfilled promise in the last term to explore alternative solutions. This comes after Casimiro Curbelo of ASG once again advocated for Fonsalía port’s construction.
In October last year, the Canary Islands Government decided against revisiting the Fonsalía port project, opting instead to seek alternatives to alleviate congestion at Los Cristianos port.
The Fonsalía port project, which was put on hold in the previous parliamentary term, was set to be constructed in an area surrounded by the only whale sanctuary in the EU and the third-largest in the world. This region is abundant in cetacean species and other wildlife along the Teno-Rasca strip on Tenerife’s west coast. The envisioned project included a port-island type platform with facilities for large ships, a fishing dock, dry dock spaces, and pontoon spaces. The initial public investment was estimated at 200 million euros, with the project initiation dating back 25 years ago.
However, the entire maritime area from Teno in the north to Rasca in the south is designated as a Special Conservation Area due to the critical state of species like the bottlenose dolphin and sea turtle. In January 2021, the World Cetacean Alliance recognised this region, extending from the southwest coast of Teide to La Gomera, as a unique Whale Heritage site housing a resident population of approximately 200 pilot whales.
It is important to note that in close proximity to Los Cristianos port lies the larger Granadilla port, inaugurated in 2018 but with minimal activity since. Despite claims that it would generate over 20,000 jobs, the port was constructed despite public opposition and concerns over its impact on the marine ecosystem due to its windy location, deemed less than optimal.
