News APB | Ports de Balears

The APB presents the STP dry dock model to Minorcan government delegation

29/03/2017

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) this morning led a Minorcan government delegation on a visit to the dry dock facilities run by the company Servicios Técnicos Portuarios (STP) at the Port of Palma. The purpose of the visit is to demonstrate that the vessel repair and maintenance service model implemented by the Minorcan nautical sector in Palma can be successfully rolled out at the Port of Mahon. The visit was attended by the Mayoress of Mahon, Conxa Juanola the Mayor of Es Castell, Lluís Camps the Minister of Labour, Trade and Industry, Iago Neguereuela the Minister of Land and Tourism Planning of the Minorca Island Council, Susana Mora the Chairman of ASMEN, Justo Saura, the Director of the Centre de la Mar, José María Cardona, as well as the President and Director of GOB, Jaume Obrador and Miguel Camps, respectively, among others. Engaging in this industrial activity is one of the commitments undertaken and outlined in the Port of Mahon's Plan of Action, which promotes the APB alongside the councils of Mahon and Es Castell. The President of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, believes that this management model facilitates engagement and fosters competitiveness among companies, and provides job opportunities for a constantly growing local market. One of STP's keys to success, according to its managing director, José María Campuzano, is the open nature of the model allowing 500 registered and certified companies to offer their services to shipowners and compete among themselves. This secures greater performance and quality of work. The Minister of Labour, Trade and Industry, Iago Negueruela, pointed out that the Government of the Balearic Islands is committed to implementing dual vocational training with close collaboration from the companies and that the sailing sector will be first to witness this type of two-pronged training offered to young people. The Mayoress of Mahon, Conxa Juanola, believes that "differences of dimensions aside", this investment could enable the Port of Mahon to recover the activity it once had whilst respecting the environment, a "fundamental issue for us" - she highlighted. The ports managed by the APB are benchmarks in terms of repair and maintenance services of vessels in the west of the Mediterranean. There have been 145,000 m2 of the port area allocated to this activity, half at the Port of Palma. They are able to offer comprehensive, modern and premium services to vessels measuring up to 120 metres in length. It is estimated that the sector will provide jobs to 2,300 qualified and multilingual professionals and will have an annual economic yield of 452 million euros.

PortsIB, the Port Authority and the Ciutadella and Mahon city councils meet to coordinate activity in the two ports

27/03/2017

The Minister of Territory, Energy and Mobility, Marc Pons, the Vice-President of the Council of Menorca, Susana Mora, the President of the Port Authority, Joan Gual, the mayoress of Mahon, Conxa Juanola, and the mayoress of Ciutadella, Joana Gomila, all held a meeting to coordinate activity in the two ports. Today marked the first meeting to analyse different strategies aimed at maintaining a smooth and coordinated relationship so that all of the authorities can provide the best possible service at all times. Among other issues, operational and safety matters were generally discussed, as well as others relating to port pilot activity. In order for these types of gatherings to continue, it has been decided that quarterly meetings will be held.

Adaptation works get underway on the passenger dock at the Port of La Savina

27/03/2017

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has started the adaptation and improvement works on the passenger dock pavement at the Port of La Savina. The project, awarded to the company MAB, consists of paving the entire dock attached to the breakwater and the boarding, passenger drop-off and ro-ro cargo areas. To prevent the build-up of water, drainage systems will be installed. The dock wall edges and the ro-ro ramps will also be adapted. This work is being undertaken in accordance with the requirements for obtaining the ISO 14001 quality seal, which was recently awarded to the APB. The works are carried out during the night so as not to interfere with the port passenger operation. The works are expected to finish at the end of April and the contract budget amounts to 338,000 euros. As these works get underway, MAB is also undertaking an adaptation project on a controlled area at the Port of La Savina, which has a budget of 122,000 euros and comprises the installation of a fenced enclosure, a marquee for a passenger waiting area and an access control checkpoint. These measures have been taken at the request of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to comply with the ISPS code (International Ship and Port Facility Security). It is estimated that these two projects will create forty direct jobs. Another improvement project that is to commence in the near future at the Port of Formentera, managed by APB, is the paving of the sea wall and the fisherman's wharf. The tender process for this works project, which has a budget of 150,408.50 euros, is to be published today (27 March) in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

The APB exhibits the works of the 7th Painting and Photography Contest on lighthouses and ports in Mahon

22/03/2017

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will, as of tomorrow and until 1st April, exhibit the winning art pieces and those of the residents of Menorca who took part in the Painting and Photography Contest. The contest, now in its seventh edition, has a high level of convening power, with over 300 works entered from all of the islands. The challenge consisted of depicting one of the ports of general interest in the Balearic Islands or one of their lighthouses. Among the winning works is one of the Port of Mahon which, more specifically, was awarded first prize in the category of Other Painting Techniques, entitled Fundido en Naranja by Pedro Villota, as well as the honorary mention in photography awarded to the Favàritx lighthouse as the focal point of the piece entitled Reflexe d’un passat, present i futur, by Encarnación Morales. The works are divided into three categories: Watercolour, Other Painting Techniques and Photography. Out of those that entered last October, one hundred works were short-listed and exhibited in Palma at Christmas, with a warm welcome from the public. As of tomorrow, the twelve winning art pieces will be on display at the CaixaBank exhibition hall in Mahon, along with those that entered the contest in Mahon. The exhibition will be open to the public from 22nd March to 1st April, Monday to Saturday from 10.30am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm. Places with art For the seventh consecutive year, the APB has sponsored this competition dedicated to the lighthouses of the Balearic Islands and to the ports of general interest of Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza and La Savina, with the aim of capturing, by means of visual art, the popular interest that is aroused by places as ordinary and unique as ports and lighthouses.

Ordinance approved to regulate the maritime speed at the Port of Ibiza

22/03/2017

The Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) has published the port ordinance approved by the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), which establishes the regulation regarding the maximum sailing speeds in the waters of the Port of Ibiza. The document sets out the rules for sailing and maritime safety that ships and vessels at the Port of Ibiza must obey. The scope of the regulation concerns Zone I, which includes Botafoc dock and the Interior dock. The maximum sailing speed in the Botafoc dock area for any type of ship or vessel is set at 8 knots, or the minimum cruising speed depending on the case. For the Interior dock area, the maximum sailing speed is set at 6 knots or the minimum cruising speed depending on the case. Ships and vessels cannot sail at speeds that create waves which may cause harm to third parties or lead to dangerous situations.

The APB presents, in Florida, the new developments of its ports to offer companies a better service

15/03/2017

The APB is using the occasion of its attendance at the Seatrade Cruise Global event to inform companies that already know the destination regarding the biggest recent developments at its ports, so that they are aware of the new infrastructure and improvements that have been implemented in this last year. The cruise industry's premier global event is an excellent occasion to keep up-to-date and show that the Balearic Islands are an established destination. Therefore, the president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella and his team informed the target companies of the product of the improvements that were carried out in 2016 and the future projects for the islands' ports of general interest in order to ensure user safety and comfort. The Port of Palma, for example, thanks to the new Harbour Station no. 6 and the refurbishment of the esplanade of the Poniente Dock, will soon have facilities designed to make it the home port for large cruise ships and to increase stopovers in low season. The Port of Ibiza has also been getting ready for the large ships. In addition, Ibiza offers a unique product including long stays so that passengers can enjoy the Ibiza nightlife and take advantage of the ferry across to the island of Formentera. The Port of Mahon is also positioning itself as an 'exclusive port', promoting itself together with other ports of the same characteristics. The aim is to attract small and medium-sized luxury ships carrying passengers who are curious about what the host towns and cities have to offer in terms of culture and heritage. The Port of Alcudia, with a modern passenger terminal, is promoted in the same way, and not only are stopovers increasing but shipping companies are coming back time and again, which shows the confidence in the destination and the service offered by the APB.

The APB presents ‘Mediterranean Routes’ at the Seatrade Cruise Global event, promoting the Port of Mahon as a destination

14/03/2017

Among the lines of strategy of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) in attendance at the Seatrade Cruise Global event in Florida, the presentation of ‘Mediterranean Routes’ is playing an important role. A new product that will take the cruise enthusiast on a journey through the main islands of the western Mediterranean. Under the coordination of Joan Gual de Torrella, president of the APB, the regional and local authorities and the port authorities representing the cities of Mahon, Ajaccio, Alguer, Messina and Valetta-Malta, shared the design of a cruise ship network covering the islands in the western Mediterranean. The project began to be envisaged at the Seatrade Cruise Med event held last September in Tenerife, but it wasn't until Seatrade Cruise Global in Florida, the cruise industry's premier global event, that the creation of the route was made official. The main appeal of the route consists of extolling the virtues of the elements of identity, the monumental and landscape quality, the shared historical past, the gastronomy and sustainable tourism development of the cities where stopovers are planned. Given the good air connections Palma has with other major airports, European cruise enthusiasts would kick start their route at this port. Americans, on the other hand, could start off in Barcelona or Rome. The cruise lines in attendance at the fair welcomed this project with enthusiasm.

The APB heads the Balearic delegation at the Seatrade Cruise Global in Florida, the cruise industry's premier global event

13/03/2017

For yet another year, totalling twenty, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) is attending Seatrade Cruise Global, the cruise industry's premier global event which kicks off today until 16th March in Fort Lauderdale (Florida, United States). A delegation led by the president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, is currently over in Florida, along with the main consignee companies of the Balearic Islands, institutional representatives, such as the regional minister for Tourism of Ibiza Island Council, Vicente Torres, the councillor for Tourism of Alcudia, Joan Gaspar Vallori and the Agency for Tourism of the Balearic Islands (ATB). The Balearic Island ports are promoted at the Ports of Spain stand. The APB has been attending the event ever since 1997. According to Joan Gual, the goals have changed over the years. “Today, we are not here to continue growing, but rather to offer a better quality product at an established and specialist destination”, says Gual. Therefore, Palma is presented as a top destination even in winter Alcudia and Mahon stand out as an ideal choice for those who look for exclusivity, and Ibiza as the most diverse island with a wider variety of products. The key lies in promoting the unique features of the product offered by each of their ports. A strategy that consists of adapting what it can offer to the needs of each ship and its passengers in the best possible way. The Balearic Islands are the top cruise destination in the western Mediterranean with over 800 stopovers scheduled for 2017 and around 2 million passengers.

The APB extends STP license term for use of the facilities intended for vessel grounding and launching

09/03/2017

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) yesterday resolved to authorise the modification of the administrative license granted to the company Servicios Técnicos Portuarios (STP). This modification consists of the inclusion of a land maritime public domain surface area of 24,422 m2 in the already existing license,14,743 m2 of which are the land surface area and 9,679 m2 the water surface area used for mooring, and the extension of the initial term of the license by 5.4 years. With this increase in term, the new end date of the license is set for May 2026. The investment commitment made by the licensee amounts to six million four hundred and four, six hundred and seventeen euros and forty-four cents (€6,404,617.44 ). Among the investments proposed is the purchase of a new 1.000 t travelift which will be added to those already in use and which will increase the boat lifting capacity at the site. (The current maximum limit was 700 t.) In addition, a new pit will be built for boat repairs and the 150 t travelift will be replaced by a new modern one with the same lifting capacity but with improved performance. Also of note are the investments in actions to improve the surface water collection network and in the facilities for treatment and purification purposes so as to improve the environmental quality of the services provided at the port facilities.

Joan Gual de Torrella and Juan Carlos Plaza donate their Christmas gifts to Sonrisa Médica

08/03/2017

The president of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), Joan Gual de Torrella, and the chairman, Juan Carlos Plaza, today donated a cheque for €500 to the non-profit association Sonrisa Médica, proceeds from the sale of Christmas gifts. Gual and Plaza decided to sell the twenty gifts they received las Christmas to a restaurant in Palma and donate the proceeds to the NGO Sonrisa Médica, which focuses on livening the hospital stays of young children on the island with visits from clowns. The donation was warmly received by the chairman of the association, Josep Lluís Vidal and the head of fundraising, María José Suárez, who both assure that it will go to a good cause.

The Secretariat of State for Infrastructure, Transport and Housing publishes a resolution establishing the minimum services at ports due to the call for dockers to strike.

07/03/2017

After studying the Minimum Services proposal presented by State Ports on 1 March, the Secretariat of State for Infrastructure, Transport and Housing has published a resolution establishing the minimum services to be carried out during the dockers' upcoming strike action on: 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22 and 24 March. This action anticipates a partial stoppage of activities (odd hours) on alternate days (3 days a week over a period of three consecutive weeks). Given the scope of the call to strike, which will affect all cargo-handling companies providing port services related to handling goods, the right to strike held by the workers called to take such action must be combined with a set of minimum services that mitigate the impact on the general public and on economic development. Generally speaking, these minimum services must fully cover island trade, Ceuta and Melilla as there is no other way to supply these territories. In equal measure, all services required to guarantee operations affecting perishables and dangerous goods must be continued, in addition to services for responding to emergencies and all other services designed to prevent regular passenger traffic from being affected. A full copy of the resolution is available on our website

Gual de Torrella announces that the foreseeable future of sailing clubs will be determined in 2017

02/03/2017

Joan Gual de Torrella, the president of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), has announced that decisions will be given in 2017 to the applications, currently being processed, submitted by sailing clubs based at the islands' ports of general interest. The statement was made at a meeting held by Gual with Marc Pons, Minister of Territory, Energy and Mobility of the Government of the Balearic Islands, and representatives of the ACNB [Association of Sailing Clubs of the Balearic Islands]. Gual promised that the APB will make decisions this year on the concession extension applications submitted by Club Náutico de Palma, Club Náutico Portitxol and Club de Mar. Furthermore, the suitability of projects presented by Club Náutico de Ibiza and the situation of Club Marítimo Molinar de Levante will also be determined. The aim of the meeting was to convey the interest of the Balearic government and the APB in bringing together criteria when managing the Balearic Islands' sailing clubs, which both administrations consider to be real financial, social and sporting promoters on the islands. Almost 14,000 people practise some type of nautical activity fostered by one of the twenty-four clubs that make up the ACNB.