The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has approved the specifications and clauses that will govern the public tender for the management of operation of a nautical facility on the north shore of the port of Maó

The operating area put out to tender is 55,200 square metres of water where various pontoons are located with their corresponding anchorage devices for the mooring of 391 recreational boats of up to 20 metres in length. The land area is 1,751.40 square metres and includes docks, access areas to the pontoons and a building. It also incorporates another building of 29 square metres located in Cala Cavall, which can be made available to third parties as a warehouse for material related to shellfishing or nautical activities in general.

The term of the current concession is coming to an end (30 September 2023) and, after analysing the advisability of continuing the operation of these spaces under indirect management, it has been decided to approve the specifications that will soon be put out to tender. Basic vessels moored at this facility, which is now being put out to tender, and which can prove that they have been moored there for at least three months prior to the publication of the tender documents, will be given preference over new requests.

The annual amount of the occupation fee is 202,883 euros and the activity fee, in accordance with Articles 187 and 188 of the State Ports Law, will be 4% of the turnover. The duration of the authorisation will be 15 years, subject to reduction by bidders in their proposals.

Important environmental improvements

The specifications include important environmental and sustainability improvements proposed by Maó City Council at the APB Board of Directors meeting last March. These include actions aimed at minimising water consumption, such as the installation of automatic nozzles at the end of hoses for cleaning boats, the installation of rainwater collection elements and the generation of fresh water through mini-salination plants.

In this context, the bidder must present a plan to minimise freshwater consumption that includes both awareness-raising campaigns for users and the construction of new facilities such as rainwater accumulators, mini-salinators, and the use of air humidity or systems for detecting and minimising leaks. Energy efficiency, sustainable mobility and emission control plans will also be mandatory.

In addition, construction or demolition works must have a sustainable certification that covers the entire construction cycle, and construction materials used on the surface will be required to have eco-labels. It will also require the use of materials that facilitate the development of marine communities and the enhancement of biodiversity to encourage the growth of flora and fauna in the area in question.