News APB | Ports de Balears

Video statements of the lighthouse-keepers of the Balearic Islands

12/07/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) is widening the video library containing the statements of the lighthouse-keepers of the Balearic Islands. Two new videos have been published, one of La Mola lighthouse in Formentera and another one of Cap Salines lighthouse in Majorca, and made available to all users on the specialised website www.farsdebalears.com These interviews offer information about the operation of lighthouses and the mission of lighthouse-keepers but, above all, about this profession and its importance in the society of the time, before the 1992 Law of Ports and the Merchant Navy declared the extinction of the Mechanical Technicians of Navigational Aids. The village lighthouse-keeper The video entitled ‘The village lighthouse-keeper’ shows Vicens Mayans Mayans' statement. He is a lighthouse-keeper known as ‘Vicent des faro’ who worked for 13 years in La Mola lighthouse, in Formentera, which he entered on the 10th of May 1949. "I perfectly remember it was at 10 in the morning", he says. Vicens Mayans witnessed the construction of La Mola road to the lighthouse, and he recalls how the neighbours of Pilar de la Mola walked up to the lighthouse on the village's festivity. La Mola lighthouse "was a delicate lighthouse because it was a port of call" for ships of all flags and it was operational "during the day and at night, with good weather and rough seas". Hence, "any breakdown could have been fatal". Thus, in order not to lose sight of the lighthouse's viewpoint, Vicens installed a mirror in his room which reflected the lighthouse. His objective was to offer the maximum security. Life of commitment As in the case of Vicens Mayans, Julià Vidal's life was a ‘life of commitment’ to Cap Salines lighthouse (Majorca), of which he took care for 23 years. He was accompanied throughout all this time by his wife, Sebastiana Maimó, who helped him with his maintenance works or to turn on the siren which warned of fog. "The worst thing that can happen is that there is a breakdown and the lighthouse stops operating. You feel responsible to the people who need navigational aids". Cap Salines lighthouse has been uninhabited since 1993 but it remains operational. The IMEDEA has a weather station and research equipment in the building. This lighthouse has a strategic location for guarding Cabrera channel, in an area where westerly and easterly winds cause heavy storms.

Public tender for the expansion of Poniente Norte Dock in Palma's Port

07/07/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has submitted a tender for the extension works of the esplanade of Poniente Norte Dock in Palma's Port. The call for bids has been published in the Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) of the 7th of July 2016. The extension has been provided in the APB's business plan for more than ten years, and it is essential to improve the efficiency, safety and quality of the port operations in this area, as it will allow for a clearer separation between the spaces for vehicles and passengers. The total import of the base tender budget is of 34 million euros and the execution period for the works is of 37 months. The deadline for bids is the 8th of August. Bids must be submitted in the Registry of the Balearic Islands' Port Authority, located in Palma's headquarters, in Moll Vell, 3-5.

The Maritime Station n.1 of Palma's Port turns 55

07/07/2016

Palma's Port has changed a lot since 1961, but even then cruise ships and ocean liners arrived regularly in Majorca with passengers and goods. Hence the need of refurbishing the port facilities with an adequate maritime station: that was the station number 1, still its current name. The 7th of July 1961 the then Minister for Public Works inaugurated the Maritime Station n.1 located in Ponent Dock, which costed almost 3.5 million pesetas and was recognised internationally for its modern facilities. The building stood out for its large terrace with views to the port and to the city and its restaurant in the glass tower. Then the station was open the 24 hours and became a hot spot for residents. In the 80s it was adapted to the needs of the moment and was transformed into a transit area for passengers. Today it is operational for both cruise traffic and regular traffic of goods and passengers. You can read the original news in the newspaper Ultima Hora.

Opened the renewal term for the moorings at the ports directly managed by the APB

06/07/2016

The renewal term for the request of moorings at the ports directly managed by the Balearic Islands' Port Authority APB) will be open until the 15th of July in Palma, Mahon and Alcudia for non-professional recreational boats. The procedure is very straightforward and can be done online through the APB's website. Those interested must fill in a form with their ID number and name of the port where they request a mooring. Once de procedure is done, you will receive a confirmation email. For any queries or doubts, you can call to the following telephone numbers from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm from Monday to Friday: Palma's Port: 971 228153 Mahon's Port: 971 363066 Alcudia's Port: 971 545076

Improvements in the bike lane of Palma's Port

06/07/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB), in collaboration with Palma's city council, is carrying out several improvement works in the bike lane of Palma's Port. On one hand, the route of the bike lane has been modified on its way to Moll Vell Street and the intersection with Adolfo Suarez Avenue. These works aim at improving the safety conditions of pedestrians and cyclists, who until now had to share a limited space during the wait at traffic lights, with the resulting risk for both groups. Specifically, the surface of the platform for waiting at traffic lights has been enlarged the existing flower beds have been expanded a new green area has been created and the crosswalks on Adolfo Suarez Avenue have been broadened in order to create a wide crossing lane for pedestrians. The parking lot in front of the old office building of the APB has also been paved in order to highlight the facade. On the other hand, the bike lane on Palma's Port is being painted again with the aim of remodelling and improving it. A total of 3.7 km will be painted in red of the total 4.7 km of surface, and the marks, symbols and numberings will be painted in reflective white paint. The APB has awarded these works to the company AGLOMSA for a total of 58.000€. The works will have an estimate duration of one or two weeks.

The APB sets up the VII Painting and Photography Contest on Balearic ports and lighthouses

01/07/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has set up the seventh edition of the Painting and Photography Contest on Balearic ports and lighthouses. The main objective is to photograph and/or paint Palma's Alcudia's, Mahon's, Ibiza's and La Savina's ports and the lighthouses managed by the APB in the islands with the aim of promoting, from a plastic perspective, their cultural heritage and natural surroundings. As in previous editions, Palma's Circle of Fine Arts has cooperated with the contest. All those painters and photographers interested can participate in the contest, whenever the works are unpublished and have not participated in any other contest. Three categories have been established: watercolour, other painting techniques and photography. A total of 8.000€ will be handed over to the winners. The first watercolour prize and the first prize for other painting techniques are valued at 2.000€ each, and the first photography prize at 800€. The works must be presented from the 10th to the 31st of October 2016, both inclusive, in the different APB's headquarters at Palma's, Alcudia's, Mahon's, Ibiza's and La Savina's Ports. The jury is formed by representatives of the APB and Palma's Circle of Fine Arts. The complete contest rules may be checked out at http://www.portsdebalears.com/en.

Waste management from the ship

01/07/2016

The ports of general interest managed by the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) register more than 40.000 movements of ships carrying cargo and passengers every year, and around 800 calls of tourist cruise ships which unload the waste that generate aboard. It is a controlled unloading carried out by authorised managers and complying with the international norms of Marpol Convention for the prevention of pollution from ships. In fact, waste management usually starts in the ship with the process of separate collection and classification. In 2014, pending the publication of latest data, 25.000 cubic metres of waste were registered in the five ports of general interest, apart from 11.3 million litres of oil waste and 72.000 litres of sewage. From now on, numbers will be more accurate, as a scales and weighting system of unloaded waste has been designed. But the mission of the Balearic Islands' Port Authority is not only to facilitate an adequate waste management, but also to involve port companies and shipping lines in the adoption of environmental management systems. With this aim in mind, the APB provides incentives to companies, among other actions. This is the case of Tanit Ibiza Port, responsible of Ibiza's dry dock, which has been proposed to be provided with an incentive for applying good environmental practices in its facilities, where vessels are repaired and maintained. The responsibility of cruise ships Cruise ships are increasing their environmental requirements, based on society's demands. We can see an example in the Harmony of the Seas, of Royal Caribbean, which berths at Palma since the last 13th of June. It is the largest cruise ship in the world, but also one of the most advanced regarding energy efficiency. It is equipped with air lubrication systems and with gas purification systems that allow for the elimination of up to 98% of the emissions of sulphur dioxide. In the same line, cruise ships like the AIDA Prima are equipped with engines which work with liquid gas or marine fuel and which reduce the emissions through powerful filters. With the same aim, the Balearic Islands' Port Authority is participating in the European project Onshore Energy Power, in collaboration with Tenerife's, La Luz-Las Palmas's and Pasia's (Guipuzcoa) ports, for the provision of electricity to berthed ships that can turn off the engines and reduce the emissions of CO2 and the noise. Quality as an improvement. In order for all the environmental actions to be included in the DNA of the ports, the APB aims at getting the certification ISO 14:001 this year. The institution is currently making an environmental diagnosis at Palma's, Mahon's, Alcudia's, Ibiza's and La Savina's ports, which will allow for the elaboration of action plans in the ports' facilities and services. This diagnosis includes the analysis of the quality of the water and air, of energy efficiency and of the possible losses in the water network. All the actions are aimed at applying a process of continuous improvement.

The APB participates in an ICT conference in Cartagena

30/06/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has participated in a conference about "The ICT as promoters of competitiveness and efficiency at Port Authorities", organised by Cartagena's Port Authority (Murcia) on the 22nd and 23d of June and which has highlighted the importance of technology in the port environment. State Ports and the port authorities of Alicante, Aviles, Bilbao, Cadiz, Cartagena, Castellon, Huelva, Las Palmas, Malaga, Melilla, Santander, Tenerife, Valencia and Vilagarcia de Arousa have also participated in the event. Cartagena's Port Authority presented a project which is being implemented since last year and which aims at reducing to zero the amount of paper used in the transactions done at the port. The conference also dealt with the issue of cyber security. The Balearic Islands' Port Authority makes available to private individuals and companies its official website, where different transactions can be done online, and which includes a personal area where the user can make the follow up of any of the transactions done online.

The APB investigates the origin of a spill at Maó's Port

29/06/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) is investigating a stain, apparently of fuel, which forms a thin layer on the surface of the sea and which spreads from Casa del Mar to the outer part of the dock, specifically in the area of La Solana, on the northern coast. The Port Police is examining the area on board a ship of the APB in order to discover the origin of the spill. The sea rescue ship Antares is expected to join the operation. It is not excluded that, due to weather conditions, the spill was produced a few days ago and the wind shifted the spill to its current location. The port's entrance is also being examined in case the spill came from the outer part of the port. The port's channels are also being inspected in case the spill came from the land. The company Hidrobal has been requested to verify the status of the facilities of the pressurised pipeline. Apart from identifying the source of the spill, the APB is controlling the evaporation of fuel.

Almost 300 photographs participate in the contest #retrataunfaro

23/06/2016

The contest #retrataunfaro (photograph a lighthouse), set up by the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) the last 24th of May, has concluded with more than 100 participants and almost 300 photographs. The images have been collected through the profile of Lighthouses of the Balearic Islands on its three social networks: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The most photographed lighthouse by the contestants has been, by far, Favaritx lighthouse, in Minorca. The lighthouse can be observed from different perspectives through a total of 33 images. The second most photographed lighthouse has been Cap Blanc, in Majorca, with 26 images that capture sunsets or the lighthouse's lantern lighting up the sky. They are followed by two lighthouses also located in the island of Majorca: Formentor and Portocolom lighthouses, with almost 20 images each. The jury, formed by three workers of the APB, will select the 34 images (one per lighthouse). The winners of each of those photographs will be awarded with a copy of the book "History of the lighthouses of the Balearic Islands", written by Javier Pérez de Arévalo. The APB will also design a poster with the images in order to contribute to the knowledge of the lighthouses of the Balearic Islands. The winners of the contest will be announced the next 28th of June.

Twelve Minorcan youngsters will participate in the Tall Ship Race 2016

22/06/2016

Twelve youngsters between 18 and 25 years of age, registered in Mahon, have been chosen to participate in the Atlantic regatta Tall Ship Race 2016, organised by the association Sail Training International (STI). The participation of these youngsters has been possible thanks to an agreement between the organising committee of the regatta, the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) and Mahon's city hall. These institutions launched a public call for Minorcan youngsters and invited them to demonstrate their vocation for the sea and for navigation. The selection of participants was made in collaboration with Mahon's Sea Club and based on the candidates' nautical experience and proficiency in English. Thanks to this initiative, the participants will embark on the Dutch brigantine Morgenster in Lisbon on the 24th of July, together with other youngsters of other nationalities. After sailing for some days, they will disembark in Cadiz on the 28th, where they will participate in different events related to the regatta. The return trip to Minorca is scheduled for the 30th of July. The objective of this programme is to promote youngsters' navigation in large traditional sailing ships with training and educational aims. Life aboard, navigation and communal living with youngsters from other countries will be positive experiences for their education. The participation of the Minorcan youngsters has been financed by the APB, which has borne the costs of the trips to Lisbon and from Cadiz. The company Catavent SL will manage the activity, in collaboration with the STI and the APB.

Auction of the ship Aris-Tima, of 40 metres long.

17/06/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) will put out to tender the ship Aris-Tima, of 40,82 metres long and 9 metres wide, currently berthed at Mahon's Port. The initial bidding budget is of 493.000€. The Aris-Tima was a fishing vessel built in 1983 and later transformed into a yacht for particular use. Today it is berthed at Cos Nou dock after being declared abandoned. Now, through the public auction, the ship will be awarded to the best bidder. Natural and legal persons, national and foreigners, with legal capacities and with the full capacity to act according to the norms contained in the Civil Code regarding the general capacity for all type of contracts and in particular for the sales contract, will be able to participate in the auction. The deadline for applications is the 10th of August 2016. All the information is available on the notice board of the website www.portsdebalears.com