In December 2005 the Port Authority of Barcelona launched a public tender for the construction and operation of the new Muelle Prat container terminal, located in the new phase of the Port de Barcelona, being the culmination of a stage of development that the Port de Barcelona initiated with its Director Plan in 1990. Hutchison Port Holdings Group and Grupo Mestre submitted a joint bid, combining the Group’s experience and Grupo Mestre’s local tradition in port operations at the Port de Barcelona.
In May 2006, the Port Authority of Barcelona awarded the concession contract to the bid submitted jointly by Hutchison Port Holdings and Grupo Mestre. In November 2006, the Muelle Prat concession was granted and the developing phase of the terminal was initiated by Hutchison Port Holdings, since 2011 the only remaining investor.