News APB | Ports de Balears

The ports of the Balearic Islands specialize for cruise ships depending on the destination

14/03/2016

The Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB) attends the Seatrade Cruise Global, the greatest cruise ship exhibition in the world, which is being celebrated until March 17th in Fort Lauderdale (Florida, USA) with the certainty that the ports of the Balearic Islands have become a consolidated destination for cruise ships during their route along the Mediterranean, with almost 800 scheduled calls for this year which will transport almost 1,9 million passengers. Now the main aim of the Balearic Islands’ Port Authority is the specialization of the product, depending on the destination port, with the aim of making the Balearic Islands a competitive destination with other ports. In order to get this aim, institutions and consignee companies led by the APB are collaborating. A delegation led by the president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, with institutional representatives such as the president of Ibiza Council, Vicente Torres, or the Alcudia’s Tourism Councilor, Joan Gaspar Vallori, and consignee companies have travelled to Fort Lauderdale. The ports of the Balearic Islands are being promoted in the stand Ports of Spain of the State Ports. Specialization. Palma’s Port, for example, has facilities prepared to be a base port for cruise ships and for increasing the calls during low season, thanks, among other reasons, to its good communications and a hotel offer available throughout the year. The port can also host the largest cruise ships in the world today. Ibiza’s Port is also being adapted for large vessels. In August the three dolphins that are being built will be already active for large cruise ships and passenger ships to operate with safety. Besides, Ibiza offers a unique product like the long-term stays, so that passengers can enjoy Ibiza’s nights and make use of the communications, via ferry, to the island of Formentera. For its part, Mahon’s Port is positioning and promoting itself as a “port boutique” of the Mediterranean, together with other ports with similar features, such as Seté, Niza, Palamós or Porto Torres. The main aim is to attract medium and small luxury ships whose passengers want to discover the cultural and patrimonial offer of the hosting cities. Alcudia’s Port is being promoted along the same lines. This port features a modern passenger terminal which not only increases the calls, but also fosters loyalty among the vessels, which demonstrates the trust in the destination and service that the APB guarantees.

Maó is internationally promoted by APB as “boutique Port”

12/03/2016

The special natural, geographical and historical features of this port are a great tourist attraction that APB is making known in international forums such as Seatrade Cruise Global, the most important cruises’ exhibition, that will take place in Fort Lauderdale (Florida, USA) next March 14th – 16th 2016. Maó will be the new “boutique Port” of the Mediterranean, perfect for mid and small cruises able to adapt to port features’ whose passengers –high purchasing power tourists– look for small cities known for their culture, history and natural values. In this regard, APB spreads Maó Port, the city and hence also Menorca touristic attractions, with publications in professional journals such as “International Cruise and Ferry Review”, whose Spring/Summer edition includes “A boutique port”, an article which emphasizes “Mahon, one of the longest ports in the Mediterranean, is a great starting point for the visitors to discover Menorca island treasures’”. APB works together with other organisations, such as French Riviera Chamber of Commerce, Piombino and Elba Port Authority, North Sardinia Port Authority, Sète Port and Ports de la Generalitat for a bigger promotion of Maó and also to create a new Occidental Mediterranean boutique ports’ route. Together with Porto Torres (Sardinia), Nice (French Riviera), Porto Ferraio (Elba island), Palamos (Costa Brava) and Sète (South of France), Maó is part of an attractive touristic route with the aim of a common promotion, thus obtaining a wider diffusion. There are nearly hundred port cruise calls’ forecasted for 2016, bringing up to 79.000 passengers, around 34% more than 2015. Just a couple of days ago, the luxury Tere Moana, a 100 metres length cruise with a capacity up to 90 passengers, has requested six new port calls in Maó, forecasted for incoming October, November and December.

The APB unveils a new design and utilities for its website

07/03/2016

The website of the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) has a new design and utilities at the service of the users. The website www.portsdebalears.com inaugurates today a more visual design, new services and a direct access from the home page to the ports of general interest of Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza and La Savina. Everything is available in four languages: Spanish, Catalan, English and, for the first time, German. On the APB’s website users will find, on one hand, all the institutional information: from corporate information to documents such as the annual and sustainability report, the annual accounts or the evolution of the main traffic registers in the ports managed by the APB. On the other hand, users will be able to access the legal regulations governing the institution in the interests of transparency. Besides, each of the five ports has its own direct access to service information, to the facilities, business register, port services, plans and photographs. The website also offers the user the possibility to see the ships currently at port and to check the traffic statistics since 2006. Furthermore, the services to the surfer have been extended with the inclusion of all the information regarding the Balearic Islands’ lighthouses, navigation aids and oceanography. Now users may easily access the predictions, real-time data and historic data regarding swell, wind, currents and even salinity, water temperature, wind temperature or sea level, everything thanks to an application developed by State Ports and integrated in the website. Finally, the home page also offers access to the APB’s website, where users may complete different formalities and procedures in an easy, user-friendly and safe environment.

NEW LUXURY CRUISE SHIP CALLS AT MAÓ AND ALCUDIA

06/03/2016

Maó's and Alcudia's ports are attracting the calls of luxury cruise ships, of medium and small size, which adapt to the port facilities and consider these cities a tourist attraction for passengers, even during low season. A prove of this new interest in smaller ports is the luxury ship Tere Moana, of the company Paul Gauguin Cruises, which has just confirmed 12 new calls for October, November and December to the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB): six in Alcudia and six more in Maó. The Tere Moana is a 100-metre-long cruise ship with a capacity for 90 passengers which is a regular at Palma's Port. However, this one will be its first call at Alcudia's and Maó's ports. The APB is precisely spreading in specialised media and forums, not only the characteristics of the ports and their services, but also the cities where they are located, with the aim of promoting their cultural, landscape and gastronomic attractions. With these new calls, the forecast for Alcudia will be of 17, and of 99 for Maó (last year this port received 85 calls). The ports of the Balearic Islands will receive a total of 800 calls in 2016. Alcudia's port is awakening the interest of cruise companies. Ships of up to 200 metres in length berth at this port and make the most of the new and modern passenger terminal. Statistics confirm the rise of calls, but also the fact that many of these ships are regular visitors, which highlights the loyalty of these ships to the destination and to the service offered by the APB. A ship berthed at Alcudia in 2008. The next one arrived in 2012. There were two calls in 2013 and 2015. Five in 2015 and 17 calls are scheduled in 2016. The first one to berth at Alcudia will be the Silver Cloud of Silversea, whose call is scheduled in April. It will be followed by others like the Seadream II, the Thomson Majesty (which will make four calls, the last ones in October, the Crystal Symphony of Crystal Cruises, and the MS Albatros of Phoenix Reisen, the Nautica of Oceania Cruises and the Tere Moana of Paul Gauguin Cruises.

APB will allow Savina’s passengers to disembark at es Martell of Ibiza port

04/03/2016

Balearic Islands’ Port Authority has announced today that passengers travelling from la Savina port to Ibiza port will be allowed to make an stop over at es Martell, before culminating the call at the future Maritime Station, that will be located at commercial quays. APB pretends to respond the anxieties expressed by Formentera residents, willing to disembark closer to the city centre. Goods traffic with Formentera is also guaranteed and will be located at commercial quays, thus enabling the continuity of seafront promenade al along the port. APB will build a pier as a halt in es Martell, where only passengers’ ships coming from la Savina will be able to dock there. Shipping lines will have the chance to stop in that halt for passengers’ disembarkation. After that, commercial quays of Maritime Station will be the end of the route. The proposal came ahead this morning to Vicent Torres and Jaume Ferrer -Ibiza and Formentera Island Council’s Presidents- and Rafael Ruiz -Vila Mayor- by APB president, Mr. Joan Gual de Torrella in a meeting held in Ibiza city council.

Public exhibition of the DEUP proposal of Alcudia’s Port

25/02/2016

The period has been open for lodging statements and observations regarding the delimitation of port spaces and uses proposal of Alcudia’s Port, approved by the Board of Directors of the Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB) last 3dof February. The documentation is available at the websitewww.portsdebalears.comfor those interested, and at the offices of the APB in Palma (Moll Vell, 5) and at Alcudia’s Port (Moll de pescadors s/n) from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Monday to Friday. The time limit for lodging statements is 45 days from the following day of the publication of the corresponding BOE (24thof February 2016). The proposals of delimitation of port spaces and uses are tools set out in Article 69 of the Consolidated Version of the Law of State Ports and Merchant Shipping, with the aim of managing the port space according to needs. Alcudia’s Port stands out for its combination of its marina for yachting and the need of goods provisioning for the island and the traffic between Minorca and some ports of the peninsula. Alcudia has two distinct areas: the berth for commercial traffic and the berth for small ships, which comprises the fishing dock and the marina. However, it is eminently an energy port. Coal is unloaded at its facilities in order to produce electric power, as well as butane and propane gas. Alcudia’s Port handles 1.5 million tons of goods every year and 250.000 passengers of regular lines. The arrival of 11 cruise ships is foreseen this 2016, the double than in 2015, which demonstrates the growing interest in this port and its possibilities for cruise tourism.

Improvement works at the La Savina Maritime Station

25/02/2016

The improvement works at the La Savina Maritime Station in Formentera will start the next 2nd of March. The contract has been awarded to Ferrovial Agroman by the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) for 77.033 euros, with the aim of refurbishing and expanding the ticket offices and the toilets of the station. The works are scheduled for completion the 15th of May, although details will be worked out until the 31st of May. During the refurbishing works, the ticket sale will be done at a provisional ticket office located in the Maritime Station, and the toilets will be set up outside the station, in temporary modules. These refurbishing works will allow for offering a better service to clients and for a larger space for shipping lines to carry out their business. The construction of six larger ticket offices more is foreseen at the ground floor, four of which of eleven square metres, which will allow for attending two clients at the same time, and four more offices, of 20 square metres, for attending three people and dedicated to shipping lines operating mixed traffic. The new toilets will be expanded and located in the first floor. La Savina is today the second port of the Balearic Islands with the highest traffic of passengers of regular lines, after Ibiza. In 2015, La Savina Port handled 1.6 million passengers of regular lines.

Apprentice sailors at the Tall Ships Races 2016

22/02/2016

A group of Minorcan youngsters might make their dream of signing onto a large sailing boat and participating in an international regatta such as the Tall Ships Races 2016 come true thanks to the initiative of Mahon’s city council, in collaboration with the Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB). Youngsters between 18 and 25 years of age registered in Mahon who prove their vocation for the sea and for sailing will be able to participate in an instructive workshop aboard the brigantine Morgenster , of 48 metres in length. The workshop will be offered during one of the stages of the international regatta, specifically the one that connects Lisboa and Cadiz ports, between the 24th and the 31st of July. Those interested can enrol until the 23d of February at Mahon’s city hall or contacting the organising firm Catavent SL at the telephone number 630 040 705 or at the email catavent2@gmail.com The enrolment fees are 100€ and include the trip, the full board accommodation aboard and an insurance. Besides, youngsters will be able to participate in all the events organised ashore by the crew, from ceremonies to sport activities. Tall Ships Races The Grandes Veleros 2016 Regatta, organised by Sail Training, departs from Amberes Port (Belgium) the 10th of July bound for Lisboa, where the ships will be moored from the 22nd to the 25th of July. On the next stage of the itinerary, celebrated from the 28th to the 31st of July, the sailing boats will reach Cadiz. A Coruña will be the finish line of the competition, scheduled for the 11th, 12th, 13th and 14th of August. The 2015 edition sailed the North Sea and called at Belfast (Northern Ireland), Ålesund (Norway), Kristiansand (Norway) and Aalborg (Denmark) Ports.

The APB receives the ISO 9001 quality management AENOR certification

19/02/2016

The Balearic Island’s Port Authority (APB) has received the ISO 9001 quality seal by AENOR, which certifies that the institution has implemented a quality management system that is committed to continuous improvement. The president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, has received the certification from the president of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Francina Armengol, in an event celebrated at the offices of the APB in Palma and attended by the director of AENOR in the Balearic Islands, Soledad Seisdedos. At the APB works are done following processes that are continually analysed and revised and that are based on continuous improvement and on offering a better service to the client. These are the main principles of the institution, so the whole staff participates in the procedures. The president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, has stated that ‘the AENOR seal proves that we are offering a good service to the client, but it in turn commits us to keep and improve these quality levels’. The president of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Francina Armengol, has congratulated the workers of the APB and AENOR on their collaborative work for offering a better service to the citizens. Besides, she has highlighted that the good practices in quality will contribute to a more efficient management that will benefit the whole society. Likewise, Soledad Seisdedos, on behalf of AENOR, has stated that ‘more than 1 million organisations in the world hold the ISO 9001, which proves that it is a value-adding tool. The certification is a great ally of the Spanish ports, as it supports the improvement of their competence’.

The ports of the Balearic Islands handled almost 7 million passengers in 2015

17/02/2016

The ports of general interest managed by the Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB) handled last year 6.9 million passengers, including cruise ships and regular lines, which represents a 10.8% increase compared to 2014, with 6.3 million passengers. Specifically, the traffic of regular lines was of 5 million passengers, a 4% more than in 2014, and of 1.9 million passengers for cruise ships, a 24% more compared to the previous year. Regarding numbers in each port, Palma handled 2.5 million passengers, including cruises and regular lines Alcudia 267.000 Mahon almost 180.000 passengers Ibiza almost 2.4 million passengers and La Savina 1.7 million passengers. The 24% increase of cruise passengers is a consequence of the 22% increase of calls, which raised up to 788 (569 in Palma, 120 in Ibiza, 85 in Mahon, 9 in La Savina and 5 in Alcudia). In fact, 2015 has been an extraordinary year in APB’s historical data series, partly due to the instability in the north of Africa, which has led to the drifting of cruise ships to the ports of the Balearic Islands. A total of 1.7 million passengers arrived at Palma’s port in 2015, a 29% more than in the previous year 1.365 at Alcudia, also a 29% more Mahon showed a decrease of the 25%, with 59.342 passengers Ibiza handled 190.308 passengers, a 13% more, and La Savina 1.539, a 76% more. Regarding the traffic of regular lines, Palma handled 792.851 passengers, which represents a 2% decrease Alcudia 265.804, an 8% more Mahon showed an increase of the 1% with 120.499 passengers Alcudia handled 2.1 million passengers, a 4% more, and La Savina 1.6 million passengers, an 8% more.

Cala Figuera lighthouse, bird observatory

16/02/2016

Every first Saturday of the month, the birdwatchers members of the Birds and Marine Mammals Observatory Network (RAM) set off to the different vantage points of the Spanish and Portuguese coasts. In Majorca, the last 6th of February, Cala Figuera was the chosen observatory, where 306 seabirds could be identified, of which 256 were Balearic shearwaters, the only endemic seabird in Spain. The observation of these birds is essential for their conservation. The Balearic shearwater, for example, is a very endangered species threatened with extinction. It only breeds in the Balearic Islands but its journeys can get to the Atlantic and Cantabrian. Cala Figuera is an ideal vantage point due to its proximity to Dragonera and Cabrera islands, where these birds nest. The birdwatchers, in collaboration with the Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB) intend to repeat this activity every month. According to the documents the seawatchers of Cala Figuera lighthouse have shared with the APB, that day 73 shearwaters per hour were identified, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. They moved mainly from east to west, looking for food in the area near Cala Figuera cape. Most of the birds were singled out from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Apart from the Balearic shearwater, the census includes other 8 different species, such as the yellow-legged gull (83 birds), the sandwich tern (21), the European shag (24), the great cormorant (4), an Atlantic Northern gannet, a white egret and a peregrine falcon. The census was done by volunteers of the Balearic Ornithology Group (GOB) in collaboration with members of the Friends of Lighthouses Association. Apart from Cala Figuera lighthouse, there are other interesting vantage points for the observation of seabirds in Majorca: in front of Cap Salines and from a cliff located approximately 1 kilometre away from Portocolom lighthouse.

The ports of the Balearic Islands handled over 13 million tonnes of cargo in 2015

13/02/2016

The ports of general interest are a good indicator of the economic activity of the islands, as the 99% of the goods arrive or depart from some of the five ports managed by the Balearic Islands’ Port Authority (APB). The 2015 statistics recently published by the APB on www.portsdebalears.com show an economic upturn in the Balearic Islands, returning to levels registered in 2008. Last year the ports handled over 13,3 million tonnes of cargo, a 6% more than in 2014. Ibiza’s Port showed the greater upturn, with an 8% and 2,5 million tonnes, followed by Palma, with a 7% increase and 8.3 million tonnes. Alcudia handled 1.5 million tonnes, a 3% more. Mao 696.679 tonnes, a 6% less and La Savina 268.509, a 9% less. The general volume of freight traffic, that is, the freight arriving in containers or lorries, is over 10.6 million of tonnes, a 7% more than in 2014. Alcudia’s increase is particularly noteworthy, with a 38% and more than 604.000 tonnes, together with Mao’s Port 7% decrease, with 507.000 tonnes. Solid bulk, that is, the one transported unpackaged and in large quantities, has decreased a 6% on aggregate numbers, specially due to the 13% decrease in Alcudia’s Port, where coal import has decreased after the startup of the submarine cable and the gas pipeline. In the rest of ports, solid bulk has increased partly due to the increase of construction. A total of over 1.2 million tonnes have been transported. More consumption Liquid bulk –specially fuel- has also increased a 5% over the 1.5 tonnes, as well as traffic of ship and tonnage: 40.288 calls at the five ports of general interest, a 14% more, which have exceeded the 193 gross tonnage (GT).