New port towage tender in Cartagena: what maritime operators must do

Key data

Port towage companies and maritime operators at the port of Cartagena now have before them the document that defines the rules of the game for the coming years. The Resolution of March 10, 2026 from the Port Authority of Cartagena, published in the BOE on April 9, 2026 with reference BOE-A-2026-8002, approves the Particular Prescriptions Tender for the port towage service. This tender is not a minor formality: it is the document that determines who can operate, with what resources and under what economic conditions.

Port towage is an essential service for navigation. Without it, vessels cannot maneuver safely in the port. Therefore, the regulation of its provision has direct consequences both for operators who want to enter the market and for those already operating who must renew or adapt their position.

What does this regulation establish?

The Particular Prescriptions Tender approved by the Port Authority of Cartagena regulates in detail all aspects of the port towage service. The elements it covers are as follows:

• Technical conditions: Requirements that must be met by the material resources intended for the provision of the towage service.
• Operational conditions: The manner in which the service must be provided, including availability, response times and operational standards.
• Economic conditions: Applicable rates and economic structure of the service.
• Service obligations: Commitments assumed by the awarded operator to the Port Authority.
• Required material and human resources: Minimum provision of tugboats and qualified personnel that the operator must demonstrate.
• Adjudication criteria: Parameters that will be evaluated to select the authorized operator or operators.

With the approval and publication of this tender, the Port Authority enables the formal start of the bidding or authorization process. This means that the towage market in Cartagena is open to competition under the conditions defined in this document.

Economic and operational impact

For companies in the sector, this tender has direct consequences in several areas:

Market access: Only companies that are awarded or authorized in accordance with the tender criteria will be able to provide the towage service at the port of Cartagena. Operating without this authorization constitutes non-compliance with port regulations.

Investment in resources: The tender requires specific material and human resources. Companies that do not have the required tugboat fleet or qualified personnel will need to invest before submitting their bid or demonstrate that they can obtain such resources within the established timeframe.

Rate structure: Service rates are fixed or framed by the tender, which directly impacts the operator's bottom line. Understanding these economic conditions is essential to assess business viability before bidding.

Medium-term planning: The award of the port towage service involves long-term investment and operational commitments. Companies must evaluate the expected return against entry requirements.

Who does it affect?

• Port towage companies: Operators that currently provide or want to provide the towage service at the port of Cartagena. They must review the tender and prepare their bid.
• Maritime operators at the port of Cartagena: Shipping companies, consignment agents and companies with regular activity at the port that depend on the towage service for their operations.
• Port auxiliary service companies: Companies that provide complementary services and whose activity is linked to the availability and conditions of port towage.
• Investors and shipping groups: Entities that evaluate business opportunities in the Spanish port sector and may consider participating in the bidding process in Cartagena.

Practical example

A port towage company with operations in other Spanish ports wants to expand its activity to the port of Cartagena. With the publication of this tender, it now has the document that defines exactly what it needs to submit to the process:

• It must review the required material resources (number and characteristics of tugboats) and compare with its current fleet to identify whether it needs to incorporate new units.
• It must verify that its workforce meets the qualified personnel requirements established in the tender.
• It must analyze the rate structure to calculate whether the business is viable under the economic conditions set.
• It must prepare its bid in accordance with the adjudication criteria described in the tender to maximize its score in the selection process.

If the company does not act quickly once the bidding process is opened, it loses the window of opportunity to operate in one of the most active industrial ports in the Spanish Mediterranean.

What should companies do now?

1. Download and read the complete tender: Access the full text published in the BOE (BOE-A-2026-8002) and review in detail the technical, operational and economic conditions and the adjudication criteria.
2. Evaluate compliance with resource requirements: Compare the material and human resources required with those available in the company. Identify gaps and calculate the investment needed to cover them.
3. Analyze economic viability: Study the rates and economic conditions of the tender to determine whether operation in Cartagena is profitable under the established conditions.
4. Prepare bid documentation: Gather the accreditation of resources, experience and technical capacity that will be required in the bidding or authorization process.
5. Monitor the start of the process: Be alert to the formal bidding call by the Port Authority of Cartagena, which will occur following the approval of this tender.
6. Consult with specialized port law advisors: Given that the tender establishes service obligations and adjudication criteria with relevant legal and economic implications, it is advisable to have specialized support to prepare the bid.