Adif Launches Jundiz Terminal €1.3M Lease Atlantic Corridor

VITORIA, SPAIN – The Spanish railway infrastructure administrator, Adif, has initiated a public tender for the lease and operation of facilities at the Jundiz Intermodal terminal. The contract requires a minimum investment of €1.3 million from the winning bidder for an initial six-year term. The terminal is a key node in the Vitoria-Gasteiz logistics hub, which is undergoing a phased €95 million upgrade.

What Does This Contract Cover?

The concession grants the operator control over a 55,000 m² intermodal loading area, which includes a 36,000 m² concrete slab and three electrified buffer stops for loading and unloading. The contract also covers an administrative building, vehicle parking, and internal access roads. The winner will be responsible for all goods handling, logistics services, and potentially shunting and train operations, with an option to extend the contract for up to 20 years based on further investment.

Key Contract Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Contracts?

Direct financial comparisons for European intermodal terminal lease tenders are not consistently publicised. However, the required €1.3 million operator investment represents a fraction of Adif’s own capital expenditure, which has already exceeded €37 million for the first phase of the Jundiz terminal’s upgrade. This operator investment is likely focused on operational equipment and systems, leveraging the much larger state-funded infrastructure renewal designed to make the terminal the first standard-gauge-connected facility on the Atlantic Corridor.

Editor’s Analysis

The timing of this tender places the future operator in a strategic position within the Spanish freight market. With forecasts indicating significant increases in freight rates and a concurrent tightening of capacity, an efficient, high-capacity terminal like Jundiz becomes a critical asset. The winner will be positioned to capitalize on these market dynamics, particularly given the terminal’s new dual-gauge capabilities that facilitate seamless cross-border traffic into France and the rest of Europe. The success of this concession will be a key indicator of the private sector’s appetite to invest in Spanish rail freight infrastructure amid rising operational costs. (Source: DAT iQ, 2024)

FAQ

Q: What is the projected capacity of the Jundiz terminal?
A: The terminal will initially handle up to 50,000 Intermodal Transport Units (ITUs) per year using mobile cranes. Capacity can be increased to 170,000 ITUs annually with the future installation of gantry cranes.

Q: What is the full scope of the Vitoria-Gasteiz hub development?
A: The Jundiz terminal is the first of four phases in a €95 million project. A second phase includes constructing the Víllodas terminal for Rolling Highways, designed to handle up to 150,000 semi-trailers annually.

Q: Why is the dual-gauge (Iberian and standard) capability important?
A: The implementation of mixed-gauge tracks allows the terminal to handle both domestic Spanish trains (Iberian gauge) and international trains from the rest of Europe (standard gauge) without transhipment. This makes it the first interoperable terminal of its kind on Spain’s Atlantic Corridor connection.