The Port of Ibiza set to spend €19 million on construction works during the low season
Most of these projects are aimed at minimising the port's environmental impact
Eivissa
28/10/2024
The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will directly and through private initiatives carry out half a dozen projects budgeted at almost €19 million in the Port of Ibiza, coinciding with the off-season and aimed at interfering as little as possible with the summer holiday season. These tasks will begin shortly and their shared goal is to minimise the environmental impact of port activity, in line with the APB's environmental strategy. As such, the aim is to cut down on fossil fuel dependence, reduce carbon emissions and offer a sustainable energy generation alternative.
On 4 November, work will begin to improve the Ribera de Ponent access road in the Port of Ibiza. This project will mean that Avenida de Santa Eulària will be extended from the Formentera maritime station to the APB offices. So as not to interfere with the roadworks, several temporary pedestrian detours will be set up as a safety measure.
The aim is to improve the area's accessibility and ease the flow of motor vehicle traffic, which will take eight months to complete. The plans include a new cycle lane, which will connect with the current lane in the Carrer Andanes area of the Port of Ibiza. It will also involve 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 upgrade project is €1.2 million, excluding VAT. Within that amount, €140,000 (including VAT) is allocated for the work to be completed on municipal land. The work has been awarded to the company Germans Parrot SA.
Improving passenger facilities
New escalators will also be installed on the Botafoc docks in November to replace the existing ones, and the fixed gangways for passenger embarkation and disembarkation will also be upgraded. This work has a budget of €2.6 million and is being carried out to improve passenger comfort and safety conditions, as well as to renovate those elements affected by marine environment deterioration.
Two new escalators (one up and one down) will be installed at the end of the fixed gangway near the Botafoc dock, the four existing ones will be replaced and a new lift will be installed. The project also includes providing all flights of stairs with canopies to protect them from the elements. The canopies and handrails will also be replaced and the pavement of the fixed gangways will be restored, as they have deteriorated due to their proximity to the sea.
The work has been awarded to the company Valor Infraestructura, which will last seven months and will be carried out in sections, as port operations will be maintained on the docks at all times.
Energy efficiency
The APB will soon begin another major project in the Port of Ibiza to improve public lighting energy efficiency, which is budgeted at €1.5 million, with funding from the European Union through the Next Generation programme.
The new installation will improve lighting levels with low consumption light sources and reduce the number of switch panels, cutting the costs of the electricity bill by over half. The new lighting will also contribute to sustainability and help protect the environment by reducing energy consumption and minimising light pollution.
The work will be carried out both in restricted access areas and in public areas which, due to their use and safety, require different levels of lighting. The contract has been awarded to the company Vilor Infraestructuras, S.L., and will be carried out over the next nine months, directly employing 25 people.
Shore power connection
The private company IGY Eivissa Marina, which has been awarded the contract for the management of large yacht moorings in the Port of Ibiza's Llevant dock, will begin work on the shore power connection for boats. This is a €4.2 million investment, which is subject to the investment offer committed to the APB over the eight-year concession period.
This improvement will allow ships to shut down their engines while moored, resulting in a reduction in atmospheric and acoustic pollution. The project also covers improving the ground floor of the Martell building, as well as repairing the walkways along the Alba seawalls annexed to the Abric Seawall and the Port of Ibiza.
According to data provided by IGY Eivissa Marina, the work is estimated to last eight months and will directly employ 55 people. While the GVA and the resulting total socio-economic impact generated between 2025 and 2033 by the concessionaire's activity is estimated at €30.4 million (€3.3 million per year), it will directly employ 15 people and generate indirect and knock-on employment for more than 300 people.
Renewable energy and sustainability
Besides these imminent projects, the APB is planning other operations in the coming months aimed at using renewable energies, such as reducing gas emissions into the atmosphere.
Accordingly, a contract worth €6 million will soon be awarded to install the first two electrical shore connection points for ships at the Botafoc docks, which will allow ferries to shut down their engines and use electricity from the grid while they are docked, reducing polluting gas emissions and noise in the ports.
In addition, the APB will set up a pilot project, jointly with Ports de l’Estat and with a budget of €2 million, for a wave energy installation in the Port of Ibiza to use the energy from wave movement to generate electricity. This is a renewable source which harnesses the natural resource without depleting the marine ecosystems.
Lastly, the APB will install pergolas with photovoltaic panels in the car park of the Botafoc docks at the beginning of 2025, with an estimated budget of €1 million. The aim is to use the canopies that provide shade for vehicles to install panels to generate clean electricity without direct CO₂ emissions.
