Definition
A public tender is the procedure by which a public body announces that it is going to contract works, supplies or a service and invites bids from companies, in order to award the contract to the best one according to criteria published in advance.
The notice sets the base budget, which is the maximum the body is prepared to pay, the deadline for submitting bids and the evaluation criteria. After assessing them, the body awards the contract, almost always for an amount below the base budget: that difference is the discount.
In Spain the tenders of the state public sector are published on the Plataforma de Contratación del Sector Público. The port authorities, Puertos del Estado and Adif use it to tender the works on quays, dredging and rail access, and the services that ports need.
The figure · up to 4 October 2026
Tendered in 2026 (base budget, excl. VAT)
€1,008 million
Awarded in 2026
€663.3 million
Procedures published this year
1,465 procedures
Tenders open now
105 tenders
Public tenders by Spanish ports in 2026
The port authorities, Puertos del Estado, Adif and Salvamento Marítimo have put €1,008 million out to tender in 2026, up to 4 October 2026, in 1,465 procedures, and have awarded €663.3 million. There are currently 105 tenders open for bids.
The full ranking, the trend and the table are in the indicator Public tenders by Spanish ports. To explore the data in detail, see Radar de Licitaciones (Spanish).