News APB | Ports de Balears

Juan Carlos Plaza appointed as the new Director of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands by the Board of Directors

14/10/2013

This afternoon, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands’ Board of Directors appointed Juan Carlos Plaza Plaza as the new Director of the body that manages the public-interest ports in the Balearic Islands. The appointment was proposed by the APB Chairman, Alberto Pons. Juan Carlos Plaza was born 51 years ago in Ciudad Real and was brought up in Alicante. He studied at the University of Valencia where he obtained a degree in Civil Engineering. His entire professional career has been carved out in the Balearic Islands where he has lived since 1988. Plaza will be stepping down as Head of the Coastal Management Authority in the Balearic Islands to take on his new position as the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands’ Director. Juan Carlos Plaza is a civil servant by profession who has served in the Balearic Islands’ Directorate-General of Ports, and has occupied the position of Head of Projects and Works since 2003. He was the Managing Director of the public-sector body Ports IB from 2010-2011. Again in the public sector, he was also the Head of the Building Service at the Water Resource Directorate-General. He has considerable experience in port works and other civil engineering projects and has also worked in the private sector in companies such as Cubiertas y MZOV (currently Acciona) where he was responsible for numerous projects between 1989 and 1997. Juan Carlos Plaza takes over from Jorge Nasarre, the outgoing APB Director.

The Port of Palma extends its berthing line to attract the world’s largest cruise ships

12/10/2013

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands has tendered the work to extend the berthing line at the Port of Palma so it can serve as a home port for the world’s largest cruise vessels. The project has based its calculations on the Oasis of the Seas, currently considered to be the longest cruise ship in the world at 361 metres long which has a capacity of 6,300 passengers and 2,400 crew. The building work involves constructing three dolphins to extend the north berthing face of the platform adjoining the East Breakwater. The project will add 160 metres to the current berthing line to provide a maximum length of 445 metres on the north face. In addition, this extension will enable a vessel up to 130 metres long to berth on the south face. The work consists of three reinforced concrete caissons with a 50 metre gap between them. These caissons will each have two bollards weighing two hundred tonnes and four cell-type fenders to ensure safe berthing. The tender for the work has been put out at €5.6 million with a lead time of 6 months. The project does not have any major environmental impact.

Alberto Pons Fernández takes up the post of Chairman of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands

09/10/2013

The Spanish Official Gazette today published the Spanish Development Ministry Order announcing the appointment of Alberto Pons Fernández as the new Chairman of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands to replace the outgoing Chairman, José Mª Urrutia Mera. Alberto Pons, who was born in 1968, has considerable experience in the management of yacht clubs and marinas. Before taking on this position, he was the Director of the Punta Portals Marina in the town of Calvia in Majorca. His previous position was as Managing Director of the Royal Palma Yacht Club, where he organised major events such as the Copa del Rey sailing competition, and the Trofeo Princesa Sofía sailing race. He also coordinated Palma’s bid to host the 2007 America’s Cup.

Antonio López-Istúriz: “Shipping in Europe will increase 50% by 2030”

04/10/2013

Antonio López-Istúriz, the Secretary-General of the European People’s Party and Euro MP for the Balearic Islands, today gave the closing speech at the port law conference organised by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) at the Port of Palma in conjunction with the International Port Law Association, Acciona and the State-owned Ports Body. López-Istúriz highlighted the impact of ports in Europe and predicted a 50% increase in European goods shipping by 2030. He also revealed that the European Commission is keeping a close eye on the industry to “attract investment” aimed at developing European ports. “Europe needs ports and ports need Europe,” were the words of the Euro MP, who pointed out that the European Commission’s main challenges are to boost the development of European ports, promote short-sea shipping to free-up roads, and improve connections to land transport networks. To achieve this, according to López-Istúriz, action must involve using the future transport corridors, simplifying administrative procedures in ports by implementing e-management, monitoring public procurement mechanisms, promoting sustainable management and investing in innovation and human resources. Promotion and dialogue Immediately afterwards, Jorge Nasarre, the APB’s Director, summarised the two-day conference whose content centred on issues such as administrative concessions in ports, the analysis of TSJIB jurisprudence in relation to the APB, port authorities’ economic regulations and the urban development of State-owned ports’ service areas. Nasarre stressed the APB initiative was a way to promote and encourage transparent, open dialogue between government and private organisations in order to boost development in public-interest ports. The conference was attended by a large audience, the majority of whom were port facility managers from across Spain.

The APB organises port law conference for port facility managers at the Port of Palma

03/10/2013

The first day of a two-day conference on port law organised by the APB was held today at the Port of Palma. The conference was attended by numerous port facility managers from around Spain. After today’s speeches on administrative concessions in ports, an analysis of TSJIB jurisprudence in relation to the APB and port authorities’ economic regulations, amongst other subjects, the conference’s participants visited the maritime signalling exhibition at the Portopí lighthouse. The International Port Law Association, Acciona and the State-owned Ports Body all sponsored and took part in the conference. The conference programme is attached for further information

The Balearic Islands’ ports promote their activities at the Hamburg cruise convention under the umbrella of the State-owned Ports Body

27/09/2013

This week, the APB took part in the Seatrade Cruise Convention, which was held in the German city of Hamburg, as part of the Spanish delegation headed by the State-owned Ports Body. The Balearic Islands’ delegation, made up of APB staff and representatives of the islands’ shipping agents, met up with the industry’s main shipping companies to promote the Balearic Islands as a tourist destination for the cruise market and to work on the call schedules for the forthcoming seasons. A total of 704 calls are scheduled at the APB’s public interest ports for 2014: 479 at the Port of Palma, 128 at the Port of Ibiza, 83 at Mahon, 12 at the Port of La Savina and 2 at the Port of Alcudia.

The Official State Gazette publishes the APB’s 2012 Financial Statements which show profits of €14.4 million

17/09/2013

Yesterday, the Spanish Official Gazette published the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands’ 2012 Financial Statements, which showed profits of €14.4 million and a turnover of €59.5 million. These statements were audited by the State Comptroller’s Office with no reservations. Looking to the future, the APB’s investment plan includes a budget of €33.7 million for 2014. Priorities at the Port of Palma include the extension of the berthing line at the West Breakwater to cater for large cruise vessels, and redefining the surface layout of the Poniente Quays to improve the services offered to customers. Investment priorities at the Port of Ibiza centre on redesigning the port seafront, and developing and improving the commercial quays. Finally, investment at the Port of Mahon has been assigned to the dredging work, building the Cós Nou road, and constructing a dolphin for cruise vessels to berth at on the Passenger Quay. The 2014 investment plan took into account the reduction in port charges announced by the APB a few months ago which aimed to cut costs in the logistics chain and in turn encourage a decrease in the prices of basic consumer goods as a result of lower transport costs. Accordingly, the forecast budget for 2014 reflects a 30% reduction in passenger charges and an additional 5% in the goods charge (this charge was put down 5% in July 2012) which aim to boost the Balearic Islands’ economy. The 2014 budget also includes the lower charges announced by the Spanish Development Minister, Ana Pastor, totalling 5% of the basic amounts of the main port use charges and approximately 8.5% of the occupancy charge.

The Port of Alcudia welcomes its second cruise ship this year, the Prinsendam

15/09/2013

Today, the Port of Alcudia played host to the first call of the Prinsendam, the second cruise ship to put in at the Majorcan port this year. The vessel’s first visit was marked by the traditional exchange of plaques between the ship’s Captain, Tim Roberts the Head of the Port of Alcudia, Joan Gili the Mayor of Alcudia, Coloma Terrasa, and the Manager of the Miguel Puigserver shipping agency Toni Horrach.

Official reception for the MV Voyager at the Port of Palma

10/09/2013

An official reception was held today at the APB for the cruise ship, the MV Voyager, to mark its first call at the Port of Palma. The APB Chairman, José María Urrutia, presented the ship’s captain with the traditional commemorative plaque to mark the event. The reception was also attended by representatives from the vessel´s agent, Transcoma.

The Port of Alcudia welcomes The World cruise ship

08/08/2013

Today, the Port of Alcudia welcomed the 196 metre -long The World cruise ship, which has a displacement of 43,000 tonnes and carries an average of 125 to 200 passengers. This residential yacht is a floating community made up of millionaire passengers who have bought or rented one of the ship’s 165 private apartments. To mark the yacht’s first call at the Port of Alcudia, a ceremony to exchange the traditional commemorative plaques was held on board in which the APB’s Director, Jorge Nasarre, presented the ship’s Captain with a plaque to commemorate the event. The official reception was also attended by the Mayor of Alcudia, Coloma Terrassa, as well as by other members of the local council and representatives of the shipping agent, Lantimar.

The Port of Palma launches new electric car hire service for cruise passengers

31/07/2013

This season, the Port of Palma has launched a new electric car hire service for cruise passengers visiting the city of Palma and the surrounding areas. The Port Authority Chairman, José Mª Urrutia, presented this new service to the media today, which is offered by Hertz in the Pelaires gardens, located opposite the Passenger Terminal No. 2 at the Port of Palma. Urrutia explained that this initiative comes under the APB’s objective to promote public and private partnerships, and falls in line with its Green Port environmental policy, thus “contributing to sustainability and improving the environment in ports”. In turn, José María Pastor, the Hertz representative on the Balearic Islands, highlighted the popularity of this type of vehicles among cruise passengers who “at the end of the day’s hire ask whether they will find the same [electric car hire] service at their next port of call”. The Deputy Mayor of the Palma de Majorca Tourism Department, Álvaro Gijón, also pointed out the incentives and facilities offered by the City Council as part of its commitment to sustainable mobility, such as the parking fee exemption for electric vehicles in Palma’s controlled parking zones, and the battery charging stations that are being fitted throughout the city. Finally, the Regional Minister of Economy and Competitiveness, Joaquín García, pointed to the service as “another step forward” in the “clear and wholehearted” commitment to working hand-in-hand with the different authorities on the sustainable mobility policies that are being implemented in the Balearic Islands.

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands announces the 4th Balearic Island port and lighthouse painting and photography competition

26/07/2013

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has announced the 4th Balearic Island public interest port and lighthouse painting and photography competition in conjunction with the Palma de Majorca Fine Arts Society. The competition is open to all artists and photographers. The subject matter must be related to Balearic Islands’ lighthouses and the ports of Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza and La Savina, which are all managed by the APB. There are three different categories to share out the prize money of almost €8,000 which has been put up by the APB: watercolour, other painting techniques and photography. The entries must be presented from 15th-31st October at the APB ports of Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza or La Savina. A shortlist will then be put together, based on artistic quality and presentation. The selected works will be exhibited in different places or rooms which are yet to be established. The competition rules are available at www.portsdebalears.com.