Spain's Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Communications has officially launched the tender process for the first five sections of the high-speed rail line between Huelva and Seville, marking the substantial advancement of this major transport infrastructure project. The 95-kilometre-long high-speed rail corridor is designed to significantly reduce travel times between the two cities, with journeys expected to be as short as 25 minutes, as well as integrating Huelva into Spain's high-speed network and promoting regional connectivity. The project is managed by Adif and is divided into five implementation phases covering key sections of the route from Majarabique to Huelva.

With an investment of up to €1.608bn, the overall project is designed to include a standard-gauge railway platform with speeds of up to 350km per hour. As an important part of the infrastructure, the project will also include the construction of more than 30 viaducts, a tunnel of almost 2 kilometres, and an intermediate station at La Palma del Condado to improve transport efficiency and service quality across the board.

In addition to the development of high-speed rail passenger transport, rail freight is also a key part of the region's transport investment programme. The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility is actively promoting a number of projects aimed at enhancing rail freight connectivity, particularly with the Port of Huelva, where Adif and Exolum have signed an agreement aimed at resuming and expanding Exolum's freight services at the port's loading dock, which is expected to initially drive a 5% increase in the volume of national rail freight transported through the Atlantic Corridor.

In addition, the Port of Huelva has set out a €280 million investment plan for the period 2024-2028, aimed at further enhancing the port's freight capacity. The extension of the South Dock rail terminal has been successfully completed, while subsequent works include the reconstruction of the Levante terminal, the construction of a new ro-ro ramp and the optimisation and restructuring of the road network. Editor/Xu Shengpeng