La Autoridad Portuaria Las Palmas (Port Authority of Las Palmas) is a public entity within the government of Spain. The port authority for the Port of Las Palmas is responsible for planning, developing, maintaining, and operating the port. In 1992, legislation created the Navigation and Port Council to advise and inform the port authority on specific issues concerning the smooth operation of the port and its competitiveness.

The Navigation and Port Council for the Port of Las Palmas is comprised of representatives of the sectors with direct interest in the port including the port authority, labor unions, Las Palmas prefectures, port-related services like waste collection, ship owners, ship repairers, and importers and exporters. A state-owned body, members are appointed by the Port of Las Palmas port authority's Board of Directors.

Council functions include reporting to the Port Authority on issues related to Port of Las Palmas operations and on issues important to public and private sectors that improve port operations. The Council is authorized to perform studies on specific issues and make recommendations based on findings. These recommendations may include initiatives to improve Port of Las Palmas management, gaps and corrective measures, proposals for improving the quality of port services, and assigning topics to working committees. Council recommendations are not binding on the Port of Las Palmas Port Authority or the Harbor Master.

For five centuries, the Port of Las Palmas has been an important port of call and base for vessels traveling the Mid-Atlantic region. Christopher Columbus used the bay at the Port of Las Palmas to prepare and repair the La Nina and La Pinta caravels during his 1492 voyage. Today's port facilities were first begun in 1883 when two brothers from the Gran Canary islands planned the initial design of the modern Port of Las Palmas. European powers soon included the Port of Las Palmas as a base for growth into Africa and the Americas and for international trade. Today, the Port of Las Palmas has shipping links with 510 ports in 135 countries.

In addition to being a major commercial port, the Port of Las Palmas is a busy fishing port that handles more than 400 tons of fish each year. Its geographic location puts the Port of Las Palmas on the main commercial trade routes between Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Aside from handling cargo, the Port of Las Palmas is a hub for repairing ocean-going vessels including modern supertankers. The Port of Las Palmas is also a popular tourist destination, supporting over a million passengers every year.

The Port of Las Palmas is a major Mid-Atlantic deep-sea fishing base, and it is the second busiest fishing port in Spain. Located near the rich fisheries of West Africa, the Port of Las Palmas has large-scale facilities that include fishing piers with modern support equipment and ample facilities for cold storage.

The Port of Las Palmas is a major logistics platform for three continents with many advantages: a knowledgeable technical commercial maritime community, outstanding service that is flexible and versatile, competitive supply and repair services for ocean-going vessels, a consolidated international fishing fleet, ample facilities for passengers, and a base for recreational sailing vessels and transatlantic crossings. The Port of Las Palmas continually maintains facilities that can keep up with the ever-changing nature of international shipping vessels. The Port of Las Palmas is the first bunkering station in Spain, and it plays an important role in vessel fueling in the Atlantic region.

The Port of Las Palmas is also a popular center for water-borne sports. The Port of Las Palmas is a major meeting place for transoceanic yachting competitions. Yachts regularly arrive at the Port of Las Palmas from the Mediterranean, Europe, and the Americas. The Port of Las Palmas' Muelle Deportivo marina offers repair facilities with specialized workshops and full-service maintenance services.

The Free Zone of Gran Canaria was created in 2001 by the port authority for the Port of Las Palmas. The Free Zone is managed by a consortium that includes the Spanish and regional governments and other organizations and governments. The Free Zone in the Port of Las Palmas offers unlimited storage capacity and a variety of processing and distribution services.

The Port of Las Palmas provides logistics support for humanitarian efforts and aid to West Africa. In 2009, Red Crescent International and the Red Cross opened a logistics center in the Port of Las Palmas. The 1.7-acre facility includes 2427 square meters (26.1 thousand square feet) of indoor storage and 1.1 acres of outdoor storage. The Port of Las Palmas offers excellent services, extensive air and maritime links, favorable customs regulations, and generous warehousing and cargo-handling support for these humanitarian efforts.

The 2011 shipping season was the Port of Las Palmas' second best year in its history (2007 was the first) for commercial trade. The Port of Las Palmas handled about 25.5 million tons of cargo including over 1.3 million TEUs of containerized cargo. In 2011, 82% of the cargo moving through the Port of Las Palmas was in containers.

In 2011, over 8500 vessels called at the Port of Las Palmas, including 1428 container vessels, 1692 general cargo vessels, 1010 bulk carriers, 2777 roll-on/roll-off vessels, one thousand miscellaneous merchant vessels, and 201 passenger vessels carrying almost 908 thousand passengers. The Port of Las Palmas was also visited by 1052 recreational vessels.

In 2011, the Port of Las Palmas handled a total of nearly 23 million tons of cargo, of which more than 8.4 million tons was loaded, 14.4 million tons was unloaded, and 104 thousand tons was transshipments. Of the total 23 million tons, 11.3 million tons was in transit at the Port of Las Palmas. Cargoes moving through the Port of Las Palmas included 14.3 million foreign tons and 5.6 million tons of cabotage.

Cargoes handled at the Port of Las Palmas in 2011 included 3.1 million tons of conventional cargo, 14.3 million tons of containerized cargo, five million tons of liquid bulk, 524.2 thousand tons of solid bulk, and 546 thousand tons of frozen fish. Roll-on/roll-off cargoes included 205.7 thousand units (almost 2.3 million tons). In 2011, the Port of Las Palmas welcomed over 1.2 million passengers, including 798.5 thousand passengers using regular passenger lines and 425.9 thousand cruise passengers.

In 2011, the Port of Las Palmas handled almost 6.1 million tons of livestock and agricultural products; 3.6 million tons of vehicles and parts; 1.2 million tons of construction materials; and 1.0 million tons of chemical products. Other important cargoes in the Port of Las Palmas included iron and steel (858.8 thousand tons); cereals (778.4 thousand tons); roll-on/roll-off equipment (746.6 thousand tons); fruits, vegetables, and beans (725.4 thousand tons); wines and alcohol (724 thousand tons); tobacco, cocoa, and coffee (719.1 thousand tons); machinery and parts (682.3 thousand tons); pulp and paper (618.2 thousand tons); steel products (462.8 thousand tons); frozen and chilled fish (420 thousand tons); wood and cork (378.9 thousand tons); automobiles and parts (340 thousand tons); preserves (317.9 thousand tons); non-metallic minerals (302.3 thousand tons); feed and fodder (222.1 thousand tons); iron scrap (161.1 thousand tons); oils and fats (112.8 thousand tons); and bio-combustibles (102.1 thousand tons). The Port of Las Palmas also handled fertilizers, soya beans, and iron ore.

The entrance channel to the Port of Las Palmas is 1852 meters (6076 feet) long and 1100 meters (3609 feet) wide with a depth of 20 meters (65.6 feet). The entrance to the Port of Las Palmas' interior port is 500 meters (1640 feet) wide with a depth of 30 meters (98 feet). The interior port of the Port of Las Palmas is 700 meters (2296 feet) wide with a depth of 14 meters (46 feet).

The Port of Las Palmas' outer port covers 348.6 hectares of water surface (Zone I). Commercial docks in the Port of Las Palmas cover a total 155.9 hectares, including 34.4 hectares at the terminals, 17.3 hectares for passenger and roll-on/roll-off vessels, 39.7 hectares for the marinas, and 58.2 hectares for the shipyard.

Zone II includes the commercial facilities of the Port of Las Palmas. Zone II has 15.4 kilometers (9.6 miles) of quays with alongside depths ranging from three to 22 meters (9.8 to 72.2 feet). The Port of Las Palmas' Reina Sofia dock contains a total of 2996 meters (9829 feet) of quay with alongside depths from six to 22 meters (19.7 to 72.2 feet) used for repairs, combustibles, and solid bulk cargoes requiring special facilities.

Several docks in the Port of Las Palmas serve a variety of purposes. These include the Muelle Wilson with berthing distance of 190 meters (623 feet) and with alongside depths of three and four meters (9.8 and 13.1 feet), Dock 3a at the Muelle Sanapu with berthing distance of 61 meters (200 feet) and alongside depth of four meters (13.1 feet). The Port of Las Palmas' Martillo Santa Catalina has two berths with total berthing distance of 104.5 meters (342.8 feet) and alongside depths of six and eight meters (19.7 and 26.2 feet). The dock for small vessels in the Port of Las Palmas has total berthing distance of 466 meters (1529 feet) with alongside depths from five to seven meters (16.4 to 23 feet).

The Port of Las Palmas has a total of 368 hectares of surface and storage areas for handling cargo. Within the Free Zone (Peninsula del Nido) contains more than 112 hectares of storage space. There are 49.6 hectares of storage space at the Muelle Leon y Castillo and industrial zone. The Muelle Santa Catalina and Fishing Dock contain 36.4 hectares of space for storage. The shipyard and industrial zone contain 34.4 hectares for storage. The Muelle Primo de Ribera y Combustibles in the Port of Las Palmas has 10.4 hectares of storage space. There are also 21.5 hectares for storage on the Port of Las Palmas' breakwaters and embankments. The Port of Las Palmas' small boat docks and marina has 3.8 hectares of storage space.

There are cold stores and ice plants in the Port of Las Palmas with capacity for a total of 158,544 cubic meters. Cold stores in the Port of Las Palmas' Muelle Grande have capacity for 12,166 cubic meters. Muelle Pesquero facilities can store 67,340 cubic meters. There is capacity for 79,038 cubic meters at Port of Las Palmas facilities on the Avenida de las Petroliferas, including a container park with capacity for 4,210 cubic meters.

Sea stations in the Port of Las Palmas cover a total area of 6039 square meters (65 thousand square feet). Located at the Muelle Santa Catalina and operated by the port authority for the Port of Las Palmas are a 1410 square meter (15.2 thousand square foot) station serving cruise ships, 548 square meters (5.9 thousand square feet) for parking, and an additional 1965 square meter (21.1 thousand square foot) open area. Acciona Transmediterranea operates the 1884 meter (20.3 thousand square foot) sea station at the Port of Las Palmas' Muelle Primo de Rivera used for passengers and cargo. Naviera Armas (Spanish) operates the 232 meter (2.5 thousand square foot) facility at Muelle Sanapu for passengers and cargo.

There are also 14 thousand square meters of facilities devoted to fishing activities in the Port of Las Palmas. There is a 1.5-acre facility operated by FRISU IV at the Muelle Pesquero and another 1.5-acre facility operated by Jaime Llorca SA at the Avenida de las Petroliferas used for preparation and packing of fish. There are also facilities for the repair and storage of materials and fishing gear in the Port of Las Palmas covering a total area of 2060 square meters (22.2 thousand square feet) operated by Redes Maritiem SA (1700 square meters or 18.3 thousand square feet) and Albacora SA (360 square meters or 3875 square feet).

The Port of Las Palmas has a total of 17 quay cranes for containers distributed throughout the port. There are four 35-ton quay cranes at the Muelle de Gran Canaria, eight 40-ton quay crane at the Muelle de Leon y Castillo, and five 40-ton quay cranes at the Muelle Virgen del Pino. The Port of Las Palmas has seven cranes for automobiles, three with capacity for 24.9-tons at the Muelle Leon y Castillo, two with capacity for 24.9 tons at the Muelle Grande, and one with capacity for 35-tons at the Muelle Grande. The Port of Las Palmas has 71 additional cranes. In addition, the Port of Las Palmas has 96 tractors (44 60-ton, 25 32-ton, five 40-ton, and one 35-ton), eight tugs, and five dredgers and barges.

• Container terminals

The Port of Las Palmas is the fourth busiest container port in Spain. In addition to its strategic location near major shipping routes, the Port of Las Palmas offers next-generation technology and a wide range in services for containers that promises continued growth in container traffic. The Port of Las Palmas is a vital gateway for containers from West Africa moving between Europe, Asia, the Americas, and other African ports. Containers are handled in Zone II at the Gran Canaria, Virgen del Pino, Naciente, and Leon y Castillo wharves.

Containers are handled at the ' Leon y Castillo wharf's Del Noray docks (No. 46 to 84), the east dock, and the east interior dock. Port Operations Canary Inc. operates the container terminal at the Port of Las Palmas' Muelle Leon y Castillo. This Port of Las Palmas terminal covers an area of 33.2 hectares including 20.1 hectares at the concession area to the west and 13.1 hectares of surface area. The terminal is equipped with one Panamax, four post-Panamax, and four super-post-Panamax quay cranes as well as 22 transtainers. The Del Noray docks have berthing distance of 911 meters (2989 feet) with alongside depths from 10.4 to 13.5 meters (34.1 to 44.3 feet). The east dock has berthing distance of 953 meters (3127 feet) with alongside depth of 16 meters (52.5 feet), and the east interior dock has berthing distance of 70 meters (230 feet) with alongside depth of 16 meters (52.5 feet).

The Boluda Group (Spanish) operates the ten-hectare Light SA Container Terminal at the Port of Las Palmas' Virgen del Pino wharf. This Port of Las Palmas facility is equipped with five Panamax cranes and six transtainers. The Virgen del Pino wharf in the Port of Las Palmas has berthing distance of 505 meters (1657 feet) with alongside depth of 10 meters (32.8 feet). The Naciente dock has berthing distance of 377 meters (1237 feet) with alongside depth of 14 meters (45.9 feet).

The container terminal in the Port of Las Palmas' Free Zone at Gran Canaria covers 3.5 hectares and is equipped with two post-Panamax cranes and six transtainers. The Gran Canaria wharf has berthing distance of 500 meters (1640 feet) with alongside depth of 11.5 meters (37.7 feet).

• Bulk and breakbulk terminals

Multi-purpose facilities are located throughout the Port of Las Palmas at the Elder, Leon y Castillo, Primo de Rivera, Pantalan de Fransari, and Ribera Pantalan wharves.

The Port of Las Palmas' Muelle Elder (Elder Wharf) has berthing distance of 406 meters (1332 feet) with alongside depth of 13 meters (42.7 feet). Graneros de Las Palmas SA operates a cereals silo at the Muelle Elder in the Port of Las Palmas with capacity for 12 thousand metric tons. The facility has two tower outputs with capacity for 200 metric tons per hour.

The docks at the Port of Las Palmas' Muelle de Cambulloneros have alongside depth of 14 meters (45.9 feet). The Cambulloneros Norte dock has berthing distance of 470 meters (1542 feet), and the Cambulloneros east dock has berthing distance of 336 meters (1102 feet).

Multi-purpose facilities at the Leon y Castillo Wharf in the Port of Las Palmas are located at the Del Noray docks (No. 3 to 27) which have berthing distance of 581 meters (1906 feet) with alongside depths from 10 to 12 meters (32.8 to 39.4 feet). General conventional cargoes are handled at the Port of Las Palmas' Leon y Castillo wharf's Del Noray docks (No. 27 to 44). These docks have berthing distance of 401 meters (1316 feet) with alongside depth of 10 meters (32.8 feet). Cement Investment SL (Spanish) operates a silo for cement at the Muelle de Leon y Castillo with capacity for 16,160 cubic meters and performance capacity of 1000 metric tons per hour. The facility can handle four types of cement.

The Port of Las Palmas' multi-purpose Muelle Grande (Grand Wharf) contains three berthing stations with total berthing distance of 1143 meters (3750 feet) and alongside depth of six meters (19.7 feet). The east dock has berthing distance of 550 meters (1804 feet) with alongside depths from 10 to 12 meters (32.8 to 39.4 feet). The Martillo dock has berthing distance of 100 meters (328 feet) with alongside depths from 10 to 12 meters (32.8 to 39.4 feet), and the west dock has berthing distance of 493 meters (1617 feet) with alongside depths from eight to ten meters (32.8 feet). Silos Canarios SA operates a cereals silo at the Port of Las Palmas' Muelle Grande with capacity for 20 thousand metric tons with four grain suction tubes.

The multi-purpose Pantalan de Fransari wharf in the Port of Las Palmas has a total of three berthing stations with a total length of 692 meters (2270 feet). The east and west docks each have berthing distance of 320 meters (1050 feet), and the Martillo dock has berthing distance of 52 meters (171 feet).

The multi-purpose Muelle Primo de Rivera in the Port of Las Palmas has berthing distance of 248 meters (813.6 feet) with alongside depth of nine meters (29.5 feet).

Cementos Especiales de las Islas SA (Spanish) operates a cement silo in the Port of Las Palmas at the Muelle Pesquero with capacity for 8500 cubic meters with two 10-inch pipes for moving cement. This Port of Las Palmas facility can move 45 metric tons per hour.

Granintra SA operates a terminal at the Port of Las Palmas' Reina Sofia dock for unloading primarily dry bulk cargos (aggregates) of up to 8053 cubic meters. Gramelcan SL operates heating facilities at the Reina Sofia South Dock for unloading dry bulk minerals (for industry and construction) and other materials for industrial use and animal consumption. This Port of Las Palmas facility includes 2976 square meters (32 thousand square feet) of covered space and 7349 square meters (79.1 thousand square feet) of open space. The facility receives, stores, classifies, and delivers goods from the public terminal for bulk solids. It also manufactures dry mortar on the premises.

The Port of Las Palmas has several facilities that support the fishing industry. The Muelle Pesquero has total berthing distance of 1020 meters (3346 feet) with alongside depths from six to eight meters (19.7 to 26.2 feet). The eastern docks (No. 3 to 11) also handle some solid bulk cargoes requiring special facilities. These docks have berthing distance of 219 meters (718.5 feet). The Port of Las Palmas' Muelle del Refugio has berthing distance of 245 meters (803.8 feet) with alongside depths from 3.6 to 5 meters (11.8 to 16.4 feet).

• Oil / Liquid terminals

The Port of Las Palmas has a network of pipes with sockets on the docks. The Port of Las Palmas has cumulative capacity for 332 thousand cubic meters of fuel in tanks throughout the port. The Muelle Grande in the is equipped with pipes to move vegetable oils in the Port of Las Palmas.

• Ro/Ro terminals

The Port of Las Palmas has 13 roll-on/roll-off ramps located in specialized terminals and other port locations, including the container terminals.

• Cruise terminals

The Port of Las Palmas wharves supporting passenger traffic include the Muelle Sanapu and Muelle Santa Catalina. The Muelle Sanapu has two berthing stations for passengers. Berth 1a has berthing distance of 285 meters (935 feet) with alongside depth of 6.3 meters (20.7 feet). Berth 2a has berthing distance of 121 meters (397 feet) with alongside depth of six meters (19.7 feet).

The Port of Las Palmas' Muelle Santa Catalina has total berthing distance of 1485.5 meters (4874 feet) with alongside depths from six to 12 meters (39.4 to feet). The North Dock at the Muelle Santa Catalina has berthing distance of 199 meters (652.9 feet) with alongside depth of seven meters (23 feet). The South Dock has berthing distance of 204 meters (669 feet) with alongside depths from four to six meters (13.1 to 19.7 feet). The east dock has berthing distance of 315 meters (1033 feet) with alongside depths from six to ten meters (19.7 to 32.8 feet), and the east interior dock has berthing distance of 98 meters (321 feet) with alongside depth of ten meters (32.8 feet). The west dock at the Muelle Santa Catalina has berthing distance of 413 meters (1355 feet) with alongside depths of ten to 12 meters (32.8 to 39.4 feet), and the inner west dock has berthing distance of 125 meters (410 feet) with alongside depths from four to six meters (13.1 to 19.7 feet).

• Rail and intermodal connections

Roads connect the Port of Las Palmas to the rest of Gran Canaria, the second most populous of the Canary Islands. The GC-1 motorway connects the Port of Las Palmas to the Gran Canaria International Airport some 24 kilometers (15 miles) south of the Port of Las Palmas and to industrial areas and tourist sites on the eastern and southern parts of the island. The highway has three lanes in each direction, and the airport affords international air connections to the Port of Las Palmas all day every day.

Within the Port of Las Palmas are two main roads. A four-kilometer (2.5-mile) asphalt road runs from the Muelle Santa Catalina to the Muelle Leon y Castillo, with access to all of the wharves in the Port of Las Palmas, including the shipyard at Virgen del Pino and other concessions. The second road in the Port of Las Palmas runs parallel to the dam and is awaiting development.

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