News APB | Ports de Balears

The APB presents two new port surveillance craft

17/11/2015

Today, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) presented two new port surveillance craft which will be brought into service at the ports of Ibiza and Palma. This aims to complement the service already provided by the port police on land. The surveillance function of these craft aims to ensure compliance with port regulations, through the control and inspection of infrastructure and activities authorised at public ports, as well as to provide support for other APB departments. At an event held this morning at Marina Ibiza, the APB Chairman, Joan Gual de Torrella, presented these two new craft to the media. The new boat in service at the Port of Ibiza has been named Far de Tagomago, whilst the craft in use at the Port of Palma is has been named Far de Portopí. These two outboards were bought by the APB from the Ibiza firm, Motonáutica Ibiza, for around €100,000. The craft have two side entrances to the wheelhouse which makes it easier for the crew to access all areas of the boat, as well as for mooring and manoeuvring. The deck of the craft has a walkaround design so crew members can move around the entire boat from outside the wheelhouse.

APB incorporates new telematics procedures

11/11/2015

Carrying out online formalities with Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB) gradually become easier. APB has just incorporated three new telematics procedures at the website, with the same legal safeguards and guarantees submitting in-person at registration office offers. Incorporated procedures are: “generic instance”, “temporary occupation authorization request” and “commercial service provision request”. User authentication is a must through cl@ve, a system that allows using with APB same access credentials Spanish Tax Office (PIN24H) is using or at Social Security office (Clave Permanente) and also allows authentication with digital certificate. System allows filling the forms and attaching documentation, together with signing electronically the application and the submitted documentation. Once finished, a proof of the application is obtained. User can also retrieve information submitted and in the making through “Personal Zone” link. About processes Any natural or legal person shall be entitled to APB through “Generic Instance” process, about the aspect that person is willing to speak out and when no specific processes approved exist. Through “temporary occupation authorization request”, any natural or legal person will be able to ask for port occupation with personal property or detachable facilities or without them, for a period not to exceed three years, provided that these activities have to be compatible with port uses and maritime signalling. Finally, by means of “commercial service provision request” form, it is possible to obtain an authorization to provide commercial services for one year automatically renewable. Activity must be allowed in the Public Port Domain. All the formalities allow the end user to attach documents and a proof is given by the system, together with a Register number

APB cooperates with Mallorca’s Food pantry

09/11/2015

Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB) has signed a collaboration agreement with Mallorca’s Food pantry today with the aim to help this entity to achieve its social goals. The agreement has been signed over a period of one year, renewable for successive annual periods if both parties agree. APB will collaborate with Mallorca’s Food pantry, training volunteers coming out among APB workers, to let them participate by helping this social entity to outreach their activities. APB will also create a partner network within the port community thus involving not only APB direct workers but also shipping lines, consignees and users in general. Agreement has been signed by APB President, Mr. Joan Gual de Torrella and Mr. José Falcó, president of Mallorca’s Food pantry Foundation. The role of food pantries is to reach with food to the most depressed levels of society. Message transmitted through Mallorca’s Food pantry is “WE NEED YOUR LEFTOVER FOOD”, because “there’s always a high demand in food, and infant food is urgently needed”, the company affirm. Volunteers are needed Mallorca’s Foos pantry has requested APB’s collaboration to appeal for volunteers to accomplish with the annual food collect to be held next November 27th and 28th. Those interested in collaborating may contact directly with Banco de Alimentos, to fix availability to participate in awareness and information campaign at Mallorca’s supermarkets, focused on their customers. APB will pass their workers the possibility to collaborate with this charitable campaign.

APB organizes a one-day workshop about quality of public services

06/11/2015

A one-day workshop about quality of public services has been done at APB headquarters this morning with the purpose to know practical situations about public services’ quality standards. APB holds Institutional Forum of Balearic Islands’ Quality Public Sector coordination, whose primary objectives are on year 2020, target date to consolidate plans for improvements, simplification, efficiency and openness of all Administrations in their services to citizens, called and known as agenda Administration 2020, with an European scope, state and even regional. Present at the event was Mr. Jorge Martín, APB Quality and Innovation Manager and during the workshop, methodology and some practical examples application have been pooled by Jesús Bello and José Manuel Raposo, Strategic coordinator of Administración 2020 and Quality Projects coordinator respectively, both belonging to IECISA (Informática El Corte Inglés). Working day has also served as a way to formalize the signature of accession as members to Quality Forum of companies IECISA and IBERMUTUAMUR and also Antonio Comas and Fernando Monar designation’s as Emeriti Members.

A new articulated grouper buoy signposts deep scant zones at Maó port channel

05/11/2015

A new articulated grouper buoy signposts deep scant zones at Maó port channel, near Lazaretto Island thus increasing vessels’ security in this area, mainly during adverse weather conditions. This buoy has been installed by Almarin enterprise, as an answer to Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB) request and as per a contract’s budget of EUR 40.000. Articulated grouper buoy are designed as a tube which, through an articulation, it is connected to a dead head. The tube remains vertical thanks to a submerged float that generates a permanent impulse on the surface. Result is similar to a fixed beacon because pipe hardly moves, demarcating grid references in a very accurate way. New buoy has a focal plane up to 5,5 metres and it is coloured in green with a central red band, as per IALA recommendation (International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities), marking this way channel division. It is designed with steps to easy lantern access and also has a radar reflector and a mark stopper.

Works to convert Muelle de Poniente (Maó) into a walkway have started

04/11/2015

Improvement works to convert Muelle de Poniente in a boulevard, thus gaining useful space for pedestrian and reactivating area economy, have started. This has been possible thanks to the port spaces’ reorganisation done by Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB). Once goods traffic has been moved to Cós Nou, with the temporary maritime station already finished and Ro-Ro ramp of the dock removed, a space for trucks arriving with regular shipping service is no longer required. That’s why APB decided to gain space for the city, redistributing the current parking –parallel to the pavement– and extending the sidewalk where stores are located. Final result will be a new boulevard for pedestrian with cobbled pavement, new street furniture and more palms distributed all along the walkway, thus reactivating area economic activity and facilitating the passage for pedestrian. The works have been awarded to Construcciones Olives at € 397.000 (a figure which represents a fall of EUR 87.000 over the bid price. Execution time will be two months. APB will apply a bonus to the concessions while works are being executed and locals cannot run the terraces.

APB starts Cales Fonts complete rehabilitation (Port of Maó)

04/11/2015

After the end of the touristic season, complete rehabilitation of Cales Fonts has started with a view to improve this small marine port. Some punctual interventions have been done but a complete rehabilitation is needed thus far. Road surface will be substituted by asphaltic agglomerate floor and terraces’ zone floor will be cobbled. Some safety features will be placed all along the walking area. Thanks to APB and Es Castell city council collaboration, Balearic Islands’ Port Authority will provide 20 street lights coming from the refurbishment to be installed in other parts of the municipality. APB has awarded Construcciones Olives at EUR 146.000 (a figure which represents a fall of EUR 34.000 over the bid price). Execution time will be two months.

Large cruise ships docking works start in Ibiza port

30/10/2015

In order to improve cruises’ traffic capacity and docking manoeuvre in Ibiza port, south pier extension works started this week at Botafoc docks. Adopted solution has been the construction of three dolphin docks that will allow extending docking length until 328 and 375, in both sides of the jetty thus allowing two vessels up to 335 meters in length in one side and 290 meters in length in the other side to dock simultaneously. Port operations will improve with this started works, because vessels currently coincide with oil tankers while defueling in Botafoc dock and current docking have a limited capacity to receive big length cruises when facing adverse weather conditions. The project also includes building a dolphin dock and two double reinforced concrete docks really much bigger, supported on 2 metres in diameter piles. This structural design will let the optimization of the quantities of steel and cast concrete to be used and will also redound in an optimization of the cost and execution time. From sustainable environment point of view, it’s a fitting solution because facilitate water port renovation. TBA Copcisa-Olives has been awarded the project worth 3,8 million euro and an execution period of 5 months, when budget add up to 6,5 million euro.

The tender for the dry dock at the Port of Maó is not awarded

28/10/2015

The Technical Committee responsible for deciding on the tender to manage the Cós Nou dry dock area at the Port of Maó has ruled that the tender should not be awarded, given that the only bid submitted does not comply with the relevant terms and conditions or guarantee the levels of quality that the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) requires for this public service at the Port of Maó. This proposal will be put to the vote by the APB’s Board of Directors, at the request of the Port Authority Chairman, Joan Gual de Torrella, at the next board meeting, which is scheduled to be held this week in Palma. Gual de Torrella has already asked the port authority’s technical experts to look for a solution that is acceptable to all involved so that the boat repair and maintenance services repeatedly requested by the Minorca marine industry can be offered at the Port of Maó in the near future.

Cruise tourism generates 290 million euros every year in the Balearic Islands

27/10/2015

Cruise tourism generates an estimate income of 290 million euros every year in the Balearic Islands, including direct, indirect and derived income, contributing to the economy of the Islands with 146.46 million euros of gross value added and creating 2.879 jobs, of which 1.867 would be direct jobs. These are data of 2011 (updated with data of the GDP of December 2013) from a study led by the department of Economy and Business of the Confederation of Business Associations of the Balearic Islands (CAEB) in collaboration with the Port Authority of Balearic Islands (APB) and the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) and which underscores the important contribution of the harbours in the development of the cities and in the revitalization of the economic activity and the creation of jobs. In 2011 the volume of cruise passengers was of 1,6 million. It is estimated that with a global average stay of 1.49 days per tourist, a direct annual expenditure of 180.33 million euros is generated, which represents an average annual expenditure per passenger of 112.09 euros. In Majorca the average expenditure is higher than in the rest of islands, as a third part of the cruises depart from or arrive at Majorca. By sectors, the greatest part of the expenditure done by cruise tourists goes to the commercial sector: 99.60 million euros, that is, a 55.3%. The rest of the expenditure is divided between travel agencies, bars and restaurants, road transport or accommodation for extra stay. In October, only in Palma, more than 90 cruises will have called at Palma harbour. During the next low season –between November and March- similar numbers are expected, which are slightly higher than those registered during the same period last year. Farewell in Palma to the cruise Island Escape. Palma farewells today the cruise Island Escape, of the company Island Cruises. With 427 calls, it is the second cruise with the most calls at Palma since its first visit on the 19th of March 2002. Today it has done its last call at the Majorcan harbour before being broken up. The president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, has paid tribute to the cruise and its crew, to which he has given a photo of the Island Escape with the Bellver Castle at the background. This way Gual has expressed the gratitude of the APB to “a symbol of fidelity to Palma’s harbour which has extraordinarily contributed with the consolidation of the Balearic Islands as one of the main cruise destinations of the world”. Economic Impact of the State Harbours in the Balearic Islands

A workshop on Maó’s Port organised by Cercle d’Economia de Menorca

23/10/2015

Cercle d´Economia de Menorca celebrates next Saturday October 24th session entitled “Un plan estratégico para el puerto de Maó” (“An strategic plan for Maó Port”), with the participation of Joan Gual de Torrella, president of Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB). The event will take place in Club Marítim de Maó between 9.30 and 14h. APB President will participate in a round table at 12.30h together with Ricard Pié Ninot (architect, Professor of Urban planning at UPC (Escuela de Arquitectura del Vallès) and Director of Instituto de Habitat Turismo y Territorio), Jesús López (Murcia municipal architect, former Architecture Chief and Refurbishment of Cartagena City Council), Joan Alemany (Professor of University of Barcelona and organiser of III international course of Historic Ports last 2003 in Maó) and the Major Conxa Juanola, municipal president of the port.

Maó Port Police seized hundred meters illegal fishing nets.

21/10/2015

Mahon Port Police has seized hundred meters of illegal fishing nets after intercepting two sneaky fishermen in port inland waters. Police got a call reporting a possible violation. Port Police turned up with a Ports de Balears’ boat, given that it is an illegal but also an activity that may endanger navigation in the area. Alleged infringers admitted the facts, once warned about the danger of their acts and marked the spot where the nets were set. Events took place last October 19th and, despite bad weather conditions, Port Police got nets on board and safely return to port.