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Málaga has big plans on the horizon and a long-overdue seafront makeover finally taking shape
The port is the fastest growing in Spain for the third consecutive year, while Pedregalejo's promenade renovation has been expanded and pushed back to the end of 2026
The port that keeps on growing
Málaga's port has been on quite a run. For the third year in a row it's the fastest growing port in the Spanish system, and while the pace has eased slightly from the dizzying 30%-plus growth of recent years, it's still expanding at around 12 to 13% in 2026.
Port president Carlos Rubio describes a broad-based performance: "Containers, exports, vehicle imports, bulk cargo and commercial traffic are advancing simultaneously, reflecting a diversification that strengthens Málaga's strategic position within international routes."
The challenge now is space. The port has virtually no room left to expand within its existing footprint. A tender for the development of Pier 8 is expected in the coming weeks, which will add between 80,000 and 90,000 square metres of operational space. Rubio is candid about what that means: it will be "the last major physical expansion possible within the port."
After that, the strategy shifts outward. An agreement has been reached with ADIF to use the Los Prados rail platform as a complementary logistics area, with container storage expected to begin there once geotechnical studies are complete.
Negotiations are also ongoing with the Ayuntamiento over a logistics plot to replace land lost at San Andrés, though Rubio acknowledges the process is complicated and "could still be extended by two to three years." Further down the line, the Antequera Dry Port offers another piece of the puzzle, connected to the Mediterranean Corridor for onward distribution across Europe.
One unexpected bonus has come from global disruption. Tensions in the Red Sea and the Strait of Hormuz have forced ships from Asia to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, and some companies are now eyeing Málaga as a redistribution hub for Mediterranean-bound goods. Rubio's view is that the port "has managed to turn some of these difficulties into an opportunity."
Pedregalejo's seafront gets a longer wait and a bigger budget
Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the city, residents and visitors hoping to see Pedregalejo's promenade completed this summer will need to wait a little longer. The Ayuntamiento has approved a project modification that adds €857,141 to the original budget of €5.7 million, bringing the total to over €6.58 million, and pushes the completion date back to the end of 2026.Work began in October 2025 and was initially due to wrap up after ten months. The additional investment covers improvements to the sewage and drainage systems, a new wastewater pumping station to replace the existing one in Plaza Miguelito el Cariñoso, updated lighting using eight-metre poles rather than the originally planned twelve-metre fixtures, and standardised kiosks for the five existing seafront establishments. A toilet adapted for people with ostomies is also being added.
The works are being carried out in phases to limit disruption to the hospitality businesses along the promenade. When it's finally finished, the renovated seafront will offer more pedestrian space, better accessibility, reorganised restaurant terraces and new street furniture throughout.
Image: Ayuntamiento de Málaga
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