Ocibar will keep managing the moorings of Poniente dock in Ibiza

Ocibar will keep managing the moorings of Poniente dock in Ibiza

09/08/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has chosen the firm Ocibar, S.A. as the most favourable solution for the management of the moorings of Poniente dock at Ibiza's Port. Hence Ocibar S.A. will hold the license for two more years, with the possibility of extending the period for one more year. The granting was approved by the Board of Directors of the APB on the 29th of June and published today in the Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE). The next step is to make the procedure prior to the definitive awarding of the license. Six offers were presented at this public tender, of which the one presented by OCIBAR S.A. was considered the most favourable solution by the APB. This offer complies with the requirement of keeping the current number of moorings (73) shorter than 15 metres, which are currently distributed in two floating pontoons, and at affordable prices for social sailing. OCIBAR S.A. will manage a total of 20.099 square metres of water surface at Ibiza's Port. The budget for the execution of the contract is of 1.157.383,26€ (VAT included), while the annual tax amounts to 1.877.607,75€.

The APB publishes the 2015 activity report

The APB publishes the 2015 activity report

09/08/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority has published the 2015 Annual Report and the Sustainability Report, which make an overview of the activity of the institution in the last year. These reports are also available online, on the APB's website, as part of the commitment to transparency of the institution regarding its management. These two documents reflect the financial situation, the technical features of the five ports of general interest (Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza and La Savina) managed by the APB, the works or activities authorised to private individuals, the traffic statistics, the works on process or finished and the summary of investments, data of port use, regular shipping lines and port companies and services, as well as details of the APB's value creation towards its stakeholders. The APB is affiliated with the Ministry of Development, but it is closely tied to the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands. The Maritime Authority, the Central State Administration, State Ports and the main institutions of the islands, like the Government of the Balearic Islands, Island Councils and Palma City Council, as well as the Chambers of Commerce of the Balearic Islands, the business confederation CAEB, the Provincial Association of Enterprises of Balearic Maritime Activities (APEAM) and the trade unions (UGT) are represented in the APB's Board of Directors.

New record of cruise passengers at Palma's Port

New record of cruise passengers at Palma's Port

04/08/2016

Palma's Port has set a new record of cruise passengers, putting the number at 25.116 passengers in a day aboard seven cruise ships. Actually, there were eight cruise ships berthed at Palma's Port today: Navigator of the Seas, AIDABlu, Thomson Majesty, Thomson Spirit, Costa Fascinosa, Costa Diadema, MSC Fantasia and MSC Armonia. However, the latter has set sail in the early morning, so the passengers aboard are not included in the total of passengers who have passed through Palma's Port today. Palma is the base port of the cruise ships AIDABlu, Thomson Majesty and Thomson Spirit, which means that there have been both passenger embarkations and disembarkations.

The APB collaborates with the installation of the public Wi-Fi network in Palma

The APB collaborates with the installation of the public Wi-Fi network in Palma

02/08/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has collaborated with the installation of the largest municipal and free Wi-Fi network in Europe, launched by Palma's city council in the city. The APB has selected the different locations at Palma's Port for the installation of the Wi-Fi antennas. Palma's mayor, José Hila, has announced that the project will cover the areas from the Conference Centre to Poniente dock, and that it is divided into three stages. The first one, already finished, provides wireless connection to the cruise mooring area of Palma's Port, to the port's terminals, Born and Sagrera promenades, part of Parc de la Mar and to the Moll Vell and Antoni Maura Avenue. The second and third stages are at a 60% and 70% of their execution, respectively. The second stage will cover from Paseo del Born up to West Dock the third one will cover Plaza de España Square, Plaza Mayor Square and the city's historic centre. 10 million devices connected every year It is estimated that the Wi-Fi network will provide coverage to more than 10 million users every year, a very high figure, as Mauricio Socias has explained, the general manager of Mallorca Wi-Fi, the company which has launched the project in cooperation with Palma's city council.

 New regulatory procedure for the APB's moorings direct management

New regulatory procedure for the APB's moorings direct management

28/07/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has made public the new regulatory procedure governing, from now on, the provision of the direct management mooring service for non-professional recreational bots of a maximum of 8 metres long at the ports of general interest of the Balearic Islands. The change of procedure has been published in today's (28th of July) Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB). With this change, the APB aims at relieving the waiting list in view of the high demand of mooring requests and the limit of spaces available. At present, the waiting for a direct management mooring can be up to 7 or 8 years. In order to reduce this waiting time, the new procedure will not allow for a change of the boats' ownership. In addition, as a commitment to a transparent management, the waiting lists will be public from now on. Public waiting lists The waiting lists have been published by the Port Authority on its e-office. The lists will show the applications in submission order, together with the applicant's name and surname and the date of application. These lists will be automatically updated with each application, and biannually at the end of the periods for application renewal, that is, on the 1st and 15th of January and on the 1st and 15th of July of each year. The regulatory procedure sets out the assessment criteria, as the application order number in the waiting list does not automatically imply the provision of the mooring service. Non-transferrable ownership The provision of the mooring service is personal and non-transferrable inter vivos for an owner and for a specific boat. The change of ownership or ship implies the annulation of the authorisation and the abandonment of the mooring. The transfer will be exceptionally accepted in case of decease, within one year, prior certification of the right through the submission of the testament or last wills, and only when it is for the benefit of the mooring service management and provision. These updates will not imply an increase of taxes beyond the usual annual adjustments.

The APB ensures the moorings to the Molinar Yacht Club members and assumes the improvement works of the facilities

The APB ensures the moorings to the Molinar Yacht Club members and assumes the improvement works of the facilities

28/07/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) will directly manage the 120 moorings that the Levante Molinar Yacht Club was granted at Palma's Port. The APB's main aim is to ensure and improve the service provision to current members with a mooring. The APB will also assume the improvement works of the facilities. This measure responds to the APB's decision, communicated to the club's executives, to deny the term and license extension. The APB considers that the extension project is not adequate, as it includes new land reclamations and generates a great number of larger new moorings. In addition, according to the APB, this project does not respond to the existing social demand, as it does not guarantee the continuity of social sailing, formed by small boats, or its integration in the urban and environmental setting. The APB has taken this measure in order to preserve the so-called social sailing, ensuring a better service provision than it has offered up to now, and due to the Molinar Yacht Club's manifest inability to assume the maintenance of the current maritime facilities, which has taken them to their current condition. Improvements at the port Conscious of the society's rejection of the extension project presented by El Molinar Club, the APB will assume the necessary improvements of the maritime facilities, respecting the idiosyncrasy of the neighbourhood and working in the setting port-city, giving continuity to the seaside promenade and eliminating barriers. Besides, in order to ensure the continuity of the Levante Molinar Yacht Club, the APB will assign part of the port public space to this entity —considered the oldest yacht club of the Balearic Islands—, so that it continues the nautical and social activity it has been carrying out for more than 90 years. The Molinar Yacht Club submitted the term and license extension application in 2014. This process falls within the framework of the modification of public licenses under the tenth transitional provision of the consolidated version of the Law of State Ports and the Merchant Navy, introduced by Law 18/2014. The license finishes in March 2018.

The APB and the UIB will study the impact of cruise tourism through a network of pollution and noise sensors

The APB and the UIB will study the impact of cruise tourism through a network of pollution and noise sensors

28/07/2016

The dean of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Llorenç Huguet, and the president of the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB), Joan Gual de Torrella, have signed an agreement to study the impact of cruise tourism in Palma through the installation of a network of pollution and noise sensors. This collaboration is part of the Framework Convention in force between both institutions for years now and will be carried out through the Balearic Islands University-Business Foundation. According to the agreement, the University will give technical support for the installation of a network of pollution and noise measuring instruments. The data provided by the network about the activities carried out at the ports of general interest of the Balearic Islands will be analysed by a UIB research team formed by the doctors Bartolomé Alorda, member of the group of Electronic Systems of the Physics Department Víctor Homar, member of the group of Meteorology of the Physics Department and Mauricio Ruiz, director of the Service of Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing. This team, together with the APB, will elaborate the technical report preceding the installation of a network of sensors at Palma's, Alcudia's, Ibiza's, La Savina's and Mahon's ports. It will also follow the study process of the offers submitted by the installation companies at Palma's Port and will analyse the data collected. The main aim is to correlate the levels of pollutants and the level of noise pollution with the activity generated at the port and at the transition threshold with the city. The results will be evaluated for 12 months from the validation of the installation of the network of sensors. The president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, has highlighted that although Palma has been receiving cruise tourists for more than 30 years, "we are currently living a successful moment, so it is important to identify the possible problems that may arise in order to solve them as soon as possible. The cruise industry is considered a wealth producing sector in our society". As for the dean of the UIB, Llorenç Huguet, he has expressed his gratitude for the collaboration with the Port Authority "in a project of multidisciplinary research to analyse the importance and impact of this economic activities, without forgetting the environmental impact and, on the basis of knowledge, to diminish their less favourable effects".

One year of the Balearic Islands' Port Authority's e-office

One year of the Balearic Islands' Port Authority's e-office

27/07/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority's (APB) e-office has been operational for a year. The aim of this service is to facilitate the processes that private individuals and companies have to make with the APB. But it also contributes to the digitalisation of public administration, to reduce the use of paper and to a better communication with the other administrations. There are currently eight active processes that can be accessed through this link. The first online process was the payment of fines, followed by seven more processes: request of moorings renewal, complaints and suggestions, general requests, temporary occupation application for authorisation, trade service delivery application for authorisation, paying-in slip, contractor register application for registration and renewal documentation in the contractor register. More than 48.800 open sessions and 1.449 online applications have been registered this first year. Spain is the first country of origin of the open sessions, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States. By localities, Palma is in the first place, followed by Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, Ibiza and Mahon, among others. The "Human Resources noticeboard" has been one of the most visited pages during this period, with more than 29.000 visits. These visits have coincided with different job vacancies published by the APB for administrative officers, port police and one head of division (this offer will be valid until the 2nd of August). The request of moorings renewal for pleasure boats has been the most requested service. On the other hand, improvements are being made in the SCSP processes (substitution of certificates in paper form) in order to substitute paper certificates and to prevent citizens and companies from having to submit documentation held by other administrations. A total of 39 queries have been made, especially data verification and query: certify correct payment of social security bills due, verify or view personal data and view graduate and undergraduate degrees.

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority attends a European meeting in Sardinia

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority attends a European meeting in Sardinia

27/07/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has attended a European meeting in Sardinia organised by Stintino's city council, together with representatives of the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia and Catalonia. The European programme is called "Insieme verso l’Europa 2020" (Together Towards Europe 2020) and it allows the experts of these regions to share projects about cooperation, transport, fishery and the biodiversity of the Mediterranean basin. The objective is to develop an action plan for the common problems and challenges. Francisca Leal Albons, cruise sales manager, has intervened in the conference as a representative of the APB. Alberto Mario Carta, expert in European programming Alain Pasqualini, manager of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ajaccio and South Corsica Gavino Sini, president of the Chamber of Commerce of the north of Sardinia Joan Elies Adell, coordinator of the Government of Catalonia in Alghero Emanuela Carmenati, president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Barcelona Pasquale Taula, president of the Provincial Industrial Consortium and Benedetto Sochi, president of the Coastal Action Group of the north of Sardinia, have participated in the event, among others.

Maó's Port action plan marks the way forward to make it Minorca's economic driver

Maó's Port action plan marks the way forward to make it Minorca's economic driver

22/07/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) and Maó's and Es Castell's city councils have presented the document "Maó's Port: economic and cultural driver", whose main aim is that the port regains its vitality, that it reverses the negative trend of recent years —especially tough due to the economic crisis and the extension of Ciutadella's Port— and that it becomes the new economic and cultural driver of the city and the island. The action plan was presented the 21st of July at Ca n'Oliver in Maó before the president of State Ports, José Llorca the president of Minorca's Island Council, Maite Salord Maó's mayoress, Conxa Juanola Es Castell's mayor, Lluís Camps, and the president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, as well as before representatives of the Minorcan civil society. The company Nearco has coordinated the elaboration of the project. 80 representatives of public institutions and business, social and cultural entities of the island have participated in the project during more than 8 months of work carried out in four different studios: the commercial port, the cruise port, the leisure port and the sports, natural and cultural port. The process has not finished yet, so those interested can send their proposals to the e-mail portdemao@portsdebalears.com Institutional support Although there is still a lot to do, the president of State Ports, José Llorca, valued the fact that the project has not started from scratch. However, he demanded a more rapid approval of the Delimitation of Spaces and Port Uses, a legal instrument which develops the special plans. He also requested the collaboration between institutions. "The port is at the service of the economic activity, it cannot be an obstacle". Joan Gual agreed with this idea and stated that "Maó's Port has to be treated differently to the rest of ports". Therefore the APB and Maó's and Es Castell's city councils, in collaboration with the public and private sectors, created this action plan. According to Maó's mayoress, Conxa Juanola, "we all agree that a change is necessary. This document is the starting point for a change of period at Maó's Port". Es Castell's mayor, Lluís Camp, advocates for a stable model "that does not have to be changed every four years". The president of Minorca's Island Council, Maite Salord, highlighted the need of promoting the actions that allow for a change in the current situation. Coordination with Ciutadella The 40 actions of the plan are organised in two groups: measures of economic boost and of cultural boost, which include the nautical-sports activity. In the first group, the complementary management proposal between Maó and Ciutadella's ports deserves a special mention, aimed at solving the imbalance situation created by the extension of Ciutadella's Port. This proposal is also valid for the pair port-airport and for other ports and cities of the Mediterranean with which Maó may strengthen the traffic of medium cruise ships of high purchasing power. This first group of actions also includes the extension of the port access from its entrance in order to improve the navigation security, as well as actions that improve the competitiveness of companies at the port, including the creation of a business incubator. Regarding the actions for the promotion of cultural and nautical-sports activities, here the focus is on a proposal for allocating part of the resources of the APB to cultural projects on the elaboration of an equipment plan with investment priorities on making compatible the military heritage with its current and future uses and on the creation of Maó’s interpretation centre at Rey island. The adequate provision of services, specially the facilities of the dry dock, the fuel supply and the gangway of the new terminal, is another of the issues on the table.

Landing protocol of amphibious aircrafts activated at Palma's Port

Landing protocol of amphibious aircrafts activated at Palma's Port

20/07/2016

The landing protocol of amphibious aircrafts for the extinction of forest fires has been activated with the drill carried out in Palma's Port. It is a course of action for the use of the water of Palma's Port during landing operations which will be activated exceptionally, when amphibious aircrafts cannot collect water of any other place on Majorca's coast. The drill has been carried out under real conditions, with the participation of the aircraft Canadair of the Group 43 of the Air Forces based in Pollença and of all the parties of the Public Administration and the Government of the Balearic Islands involved in the process: the Directorate General of Emergencies and Interior-SEIB112, the Directorate General of Natural Spaces and Biodiversity, the Civil Guard, the Major of the Naval Forces, the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB), the pilots of Palma's Port, Palma's Royal Yacht Club and the Sea Club. Just yesterday, all the parties signed the protocol, together with the Sub-Directorate General of Forestry of the Ministry of Agriculture. The General Manager of the APB, Juan Carlos Plaza, the head of the Coordination Service of the Directorate General of Emergencies and Interior, Santiago Sainz de los Terreros, and the General Manager of Natural Spaces and Biodiversity, Caterina Amengual, highlighted the importance of collaboration of all the members involved in landing operations for the quick extinction of forest fires, including public and private institutions and boat users. Information material for the promotion of the protocol has been handed over to the shipping lines, the users of the facilities and yacht clubs at Palma's Port and to the Fishermen Association. The information material includes the safety measures to be adopted during landing operations in order to ensure the security of amphibious aircrafts.

Traffic increases by 7% at the ports of general interest of the Balearic Islands

Traffic increases by 7% at the ports of general interest of the Balearic Islands

19/07/2016

Port traffic is increasing according to the latest statistics of the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB), which underscores a growth in consumption in the Balearic Islands. From January until May 2016 5.758.922 tons have been registered, a 7% more than in the same period last year. The annual amount (from May 2015 to May 2016) has also increased by 6% to reach a total of 13.633.189 tons. 4.669.426 tons of general cargo have been loaded and unloaded at the ports of the Balearic Islands the first six months of the year, an 8% more compared to the first 6 months of 2015. This is the case of packed or canned cargo or material that can be counted by units. By ports, only in Mahon the traffic of this type of cargo has decreased by 18%, while it has increased in the rest of ports by the following percentages: 9% in Palma, 6% in Alcudia, 14% in Ibiza and 10% in La Savina. Liquid bulk cargo, which includes mainly petroleum products, has decreased by 12% to 468.449 tons. The fall has occurred mainly at Palma's (-24%) and Alcudia's (-18%) ports, although there has been an increase in Mahon (26%) and in Ibiza (34%). Solid bulk cargo (which includes products such as iron ore, coals, cereals or cements) has increased by 19% to 621.047 tons. The increase of this type of cargo is significant in Ibiza (by 198%), due to the export of demolition materials and salt, as well as to the import of cement. Solid bulk cargo has increased by 36% in Palma and by 3% in Alcudia, while it has decreased by 57% in Mahon.