OPTIMUS has supplied the PA and voice alarm system for the new liquid bulk terminal at the Port of Huelva, developed by Terminal Puerto Tartessos, a company formed by Exolum and Cepsa. The installation combines a Compact system with a loudspeaker layout adapted to the varying demands of the environment: EN 54-certified speakers in the safe zones and flameproof speakers in the terminal's ATEX zones.
An ATEX environment at the heart of Huelva's energy port
Huelva is Spain's third-largest energy port, with a well-established petrochemical hub and a strategic growth plan tied to energy and chemical trade. The new terminal stands in the outer port on around 34,000 square metres of land and 12,000 square metres of water area, with a 380-metre quay capable of berthing oil tankers of up to 80,000 tonnes deadweight.
In an installation of this kind, the areas where hydrocarbons are handled are classified under ATEX regulations. Any electrical equipment in those zones (loudspeakers included) has to meet the protection requirements for explosive atmospheres so that it doesn't compromise the safety of the site. PA is no exception: an ordinary loudspeaker installed in an ATEX zone becomes a built-in hazard.
The OPTIMUS solution
At the centre of the system is a Compact matrix from OPTIMUS with 2,000 W RMS of power, sized to cover both the safe zones and the ATEX-classified areas of the site. It's operated from two DC-700ETH IP touchscreen consoles, which handle announcements and zone selection from the terminal's operational control points.
The loudspeaker layout combines two families of speakers depending on the needs of each zone. In the safe areas, flush-mounted A-225DEN ceiling speakers and surface-mounted AS-226EN speakers, both EN 54-certified for voice alarm. In the ATEX zones, 25 flameproof exponential horn DSP-25EEXMNT loudspeakers, 25 W RMS with IP66 protection, certified to operate in potentially explosive atmospheres without compromising site safety.
A reference project for OPTIMUS in port and industrial infrastructure
The Terminal Puerto Tartessos project is a significant reference for OPTIMUS in port and industrial infrastructure, a sector where the demands combine large scale, safety-critical operations, and specific regulatory frameworks. The COMPACT system and its range of EN 54-certified and flameproof loudspeakers offer a complete answer to projects of this kind, from liquid bulk terminals to petrochemical complexes, refineries, gas plants, and large industrial installations.
