A delegation from the Provincial Government of Jeollanam-do, South Korea, has visited the Port of Bilbao to learn about its initiatives in energy transition, offshore wind, hydrogen and synthetic fuels. The group was welcomed by Andima Ormaetxe, Director of Operations, Commerce and Logistics of the Bilbao Port Authority, who presented projects such as BilbOPS, which will supply renewable shore power to vessels from 2027 with support from the Connecting Europe Facility, the European Investment Bank and the Port Authority.
Jeollanam-do officials expressed interest in Bilbao’s role as a wind power hub, where companies such as Haizea Wind, Euskalforging, Forjas de Iraeta, Laulagun, Navacel, Nordex Acciona, Sakana, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Vicinay Cadenas are active in the offshore supply chain. Several of these firms operate production plants within the port area, benefitting from quayside logistics.
The visit, coordinated by Basque Trade & Investment, formed part of a trade mission to foster partnerships between Basque and Korean energy companies. Jeollanam-do is strategically located between China and Japan. In 2024, trade between South Korea and the Port of Bilbao reached 252,557 tonnes, with volumes rising further in 2025.
