Index | Ports de Balears

News

The APB presents the proposed reorganisation of the port of Palma to the parliamentary groups

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has today begun its round of meetings to present the proposed reorganisation of the uses of the port of Palma to the different political parties represented in the Parliament of the Balearic Islands, starting with the PSIB-PSOE and Vox groups. This final phase of the participatory process launched by the APB comes after the principal ideas were put forward to more than 65 social, institutional and economic stakeholders with links to the port of Palma de Mallorca.

The president of the APB, Javier Sanz, and his team met today at the APB headquarters with representatives of the socialist group and Vox. On the agenda are meetings with MÉS per Mallorca, Mixt-Unides Podem, the Popular group and the Delegation of the Central Government. The purpose of these meetings is to inform them about the proposed new location for the four main uses of the port of Palma: industrial activities, passenger and goods transport, cruise activity, and port-city activities.

As in the other meetings held with stakeholders, the APB shared the strategic and conceptual vision of the new layout of the port in order to gather the initial impressions and comments of all the parties present. The tasks of defining the budget, the hectares allocated to each use, work schedules, etc., will be undertaken in a second phase as soon as the APB's Board of Directors approves the drafting of a new project that takes into account the suggestions put forward by all the sectors consulted.

Inform, listen and participate

In July of last year, the APB initiated a participatory process involving the different stakeholders that form part of Palma's port community, with the aim of obtaining maximum consensus on the reorganisation of the port. During the process, opinions and specific requirements are being compiled and will be taken into account in the drafting of a new proposal that addresses the needs and expectations of all stakeholders and prioritises the public interest.

The APB awards the contract for the Avenida Santa Eulària integration works in the port of Ibiza

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has awarded the contract for road improvement works in the Ribera de Ponent area of the port of Ibiza to the company Hermanos Parrot SA. The project involves the integration of Avenida Santa Eulària between the Formentera maritime station and the APB offices in the port of Ibiza.

The aim of the work, which is scheduled to be completed in eight months, is to improve the area's accessibility and calm vehicle traffic. The plans include a new cycle lane, which will connect with the current lane in the Carrer Andanes area of the port, and a pedestrian pavement that will be separated from the cycle lane by a flower bed. A new landscaped and tree-planted area will also be created, LED lighting will be installed, and new urban furniture will be added.

The project forms part of the APB's strategic plan to integrate the port into the city and transform it into an open public space. In order to carry out the project, the port authority signed an agreement with Ibiza Town Council, as some of the work will take place on municipal land.

The total budget for the road upgrade project in the Ribera de Ponent area of the port of Ibiza is 1.2 million euros, excluding VAT. Within that amount, 140,000 euros (including VAT) is allocated for the work to be completed on municipal land.

The port of Palma and Baleària have begun using the shoreside electrical connection for ferries on a regular basis

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has put its first shoreside electrical connection for ferries, installed in the port of Palma, into regular operation. The installation, another crucial step towards decarbonising the general interest ports in the Balearic archipelago, is being used by the fast ferry Eleanor Roosevelt, which covers the Palma-Ibiza-Denia route for the Baleària company. This is the first time the system has been used to supply a scheduled route between the Spanish mainland and an island territory.

The service was announced to the media last night. The Baleària ship, which sails on natural gas, docked at the Paraires quay in the port of Palma after 10 pm and, once all passengers and cargo had been unloaded, it was connected to the local low-voltage electricity network. To do this, the auxiliary engines that supply the ferry with electricity had to be shut down beforehand. Once connected to the shore, the Eleanor Roosevelt remained at its mooring with the engines shut down until the departure time, scheduled for eight o'clock this morning, thereby significantly reducing emissions into the atmosphere and the noise produced by the generators.

The facility, known as Onshore Power Supply (OPS) or cold ironing, allows ferries docking at the Paraires quay to connect to the onshore power grid - both low and medium voltage - while moored at the port. The port of Palma has been working with the system on a regular basis since May 2024.

Decarbonisation

The director of the APB, Toni Ginard, emphasised that the new connection is just the first of a series of decisive steps towards true decarbonisation of port operations. "Today it's Palma, but between now and 2030, we have a comprehensive plan with a budget of more than 100 million euros to electrify the docks in all five general interest ports managed by the APB. In the initial phase, it will only be for ferries, but the aim is to extend the service to cruise ships as well". Sanz also thanked the Spanish National Ports Authority, the Sampol Group, which installed the system, and the Baleària shipping company for their collaboration in the project since its inception.

For his part, Baleària's Fleet Director, Rafael Navarro, said that the initiative is in line with the shipping company's decarbonisation goals and forms part of the company's energy efficiency plan. "Our two recently built innovative gas-powered fast ferries, the Eleanor Roosevelt and the Margarita Salas, are already compatible with the new shoreside system, enabling us to eliminate emissions in the port. Our intention is to progressively expand the number of ships equipped with the technology to make further progress towards our green targets".

Projects underway

The APB has begun the construction of a new infrastructure that will allow direct shore-to-ship power connection in the port of Alcúdia at a cost of 2.6 million euros and with a completion period of nine months, having awarded the contract for the works to UTE Infraestructura Elect. In parallel, four other OPS infrastructures are pending award: two on the Botafoc quays in the port of Ibiza, one on the commercial quays in the port of Palma and another on the Cós Nou quay in the port of Mahón.

The bidding amount for the project to construct the two points in the port of Ibiza is 6 million euros, the work in the port of Palma has a budget of more than 2.6 million euros, and the budget for the port of Mahón is 3.3 million euros. In total, the port authority that manages the general interest ports in the Balearic Islands will invest more than 16 million euros in the initial phase of implementing cold ironing systems in the ports of Palma, Alcúdia, Eivissa and Maó.

In the second phase, four more points are planned in the ports of Palma and Ibiza, one more in each of the ports of Mahón and Alcúdia and another in the port of La Savina for the scheduled traffic between Ibiza and Formentera. In total, the investment budget is around 100 million euros. The European Union is financing 40% of the cost of these investments through NextGeneration funds.

Reducing emissions

The OPS system at the port of Palma can provide power to either a standard ferry with a maximum power demand of 1,600 kW (medium voltage) or a fast ferry with a maximum power demand of 800 kW (low voltage), but not simultaneously. The shoreside electrical connection includes 275 meters of medium-voltage underground lines, a transformer substation, and a frequency-boosting substation in the service area of the port of Palma.

When ships are in port, they use their auxiliary engines to produce electricity while loading, unloading and docking. And although they generate fewer emissions while at berth than at sea, the pollutants emitted have a direct impact on the air quality in both the surrounding communities and the port itself.

Using electricity from the national grid reduces the emissions produced by the ship, as the emission factor per megawatt-hour (MWh) of the national grid generators is much lower than that of the ship's auxiliary engines.

Baleària, a shipping company at the forefront of sustainability

Thanks to its pioneering commitment to eco-efficient mobility powered by more environmentally friendly energy sources, Baleària has become a benchmark in sustainability. The shipping company currently operates 11 ships with dual engines, a versatile technology that allows them to sail with different fuels, including natural gas today and renewable CO2-neutral sources in the future. It also has two electrically powered ferries. As a result, it was the first Spanish shipping company to be awarded the Green Marine Europe certificate.

Baleària prioritises digitalisation and utilizing technology to enhance customer service as key strategic elements of its operations, the cornerstone of which is its Fleet Control Tower, which plays a crucial role in monitoring real-time data, supported by a fleet of smart ships and digitalised loading operations.

Lighthouses of the Balearic Islands

Ships in Port

Transparency Portal

Air quality

Port Innovation Platform

Economic and social impact

Weather forecast

Navigation aids

Lighthouses of the Balearic Islands

Ships in Port

Transparency Portal

Air quality

Port Innovation Platform

Economic and social impact

Weather forecast

Navigation aids

Interesting links

Annual Report

This publication details the APB’s financial situation, the technical characteristics of its public ports and provides an overview of the institution’s activities.

Notice Boards

Link to the APB’s e-office which features the official notice boards on public information, human resources, public port land, and auctions, as well as other notices.

Sustainability Reports

This report sets out the actions carried out to create value for the APB’s stakeholders, in compliance with its commitment to transparent management.

Costumer Service

The APB has a communication channel for users to request information, make suggestions, and lodge complaints about its ports and lighthouses.

Statistics

These provide a detailed picture about the traffic using the public ports of Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza and La Savina.

Financial Statements

Comprehensive information, including the audit report, of the most recent financial statements passed by the APB's Board of Directors, and given a favourable report by the Spanish National Audit Office.

Contact form

To make a complaint or a suggestion, or request information, follow this link

Access

About us

You have entered the Website of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands. This is a virtual space that puts you within reach of all the services provided by the ports of general interest, which are: Alcudia, Ibiza, Mahon, Palma and La Savina...