Maritime passenger transport as an urban and interurban alternative on the river GuadalquivirGuadaMAR

Resumen

Maritime and river transport and associated infrastructures that are not considered to be the responsibility of the State (i.e. the national Government) are among the various competences of the Regional Government, and specifically of the Consejería de Fomento y Vivienda of the Junta de Andalucía. The Agencia Pública de Puertos de Andalucía (APPA) is an authority under public law, attached to the Consejería, which is concerned with the development and application of policy for ports and matters relating to the areas of transport of the Regional Government of Andalusia. The GuadaMAR project, financed by European Union funds for regional development (FEDER) and by the Government of Andalusia, involves work on various objectives that are essentially aimed at the theoretical design of a Prototype vessel and maritime navigation system for the River Guadalquivir. Based in the port of Seville, this would serve as a transport system for passengers, under criteria of efficiency, technical operability, and economic and environmental sustainability. Presented in this communication are the first advances accomplished, particularly in the design of lines (routes) and in the alternatives studied for the propulsion of the vessels. As the working hypothesis, two possible lines of navigation are being considered: one an external inter-urban line along the main channel of the river, which could link the nearby population centres (Coria, Gelves) to a point in the proximity of the Metro Interchange Station of San Juan de Aznalfarache; and the other an urban line that, in successive phases of expansion of the project, could link intermodal stations on one or other riverbank, with the object of facilitating urban mobility, especially in areas close to the course of the river (Triana, City Centre, San Jerónimo, Recinto ferial, etc.), providing access to Metro/Bus/SEVICI).