Canary Islands Government Rules Out Fonsalía Port Project
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 13 October (Europa Press) – The Canary Islands Government has confirmed that the Fonsalía port project will not be included in its Sustainable Mobility Strategy. This announcement was made by Pablo Rodríguez, the councillor for Public Works, Transport, and Housing, during a parliamentary session.
Rodríguez reiterated the government’s longstanding position against the construction of the port, highlighting that their environmental consultation process is designed to examine all alternatives while eliminating those with the most significant impact.
His comments came in response to a query from Carmen Hernández of the Canarian Coalition (NC-BC), who expressed concern that the government was reviving a project she deemed detrimental to the environment, specifically in Teno-Rasca, a protected area known for its whale sanctuary. Hernández questioned the government’s commitment to environmental protection, asking how many objections and scientific studies would continue to be overlooked.
While Rodríguez acknowledged the government’s preferred alternative is to reject the Fonsalía project, he stressed the importance of presenting all options to environmental bodies to ensure the least harmful choices are made. Although the current Sustainable Mobility Strategy for the Canary Islands includes the Fonsalía port among its options for improving connectivity between Tenerife and the Green Islands, Rodríguez clarified that it would not receive government approval.
Hernández advocated for utilising existing infrastructure, such as the Granadilla port, which she called a costly “faraonic” project. She urged the government to resolve access issues at the Los Cristianos dock instead, asserting that the Fonsalía port is unjustifiable on economic, social, or environmental grounds.
