![@PortsdeBalears, the new port information channel on Twitter](/sites/default/files/1347628234.jpg)
![@PortsdeBalears, the new port information channel on Twitter](/sites/default/files/1347628234.jpg)
The APB has launched its official Twitter account as a direct channel of information through which the user can catch up on current events and the most salient information generated by the ports of general interest of the State in the Balearic Islands. The twitter account @PortsdeBalears provides statistical information regarding passenger and freight traffic, official announcements, the presence of cruise ships and unique vessels, interesting facts about the Balearic ports and information of all kinds related to the labor of the APB.
The port of Maó will participate in the celebration of the Portmô Mariner’s Market in honor of the Virgin Del Carmen. The initiative, promoted by the city of Maó, offers the public during the13th, 14th and 15th of July, a series of shows in the area of the craft market, which is installed on the passenger pier in the port. Sales of handicrafts and gastronomic products, musical acts, theater, circus performances, etc, will provide an enjoyable experience and promote the port as a center of commercial activation, with the collaboration of the port of Maó.
The APB and the city of Palma, through the Palma de Mallorca 365 Tourism Foundation, have worked together in implementing various projects for the improvement of the seawall road in the port of Palma and the access from there to city center with the objective of renovating one of the major focal points for cruise ship tourists. This initiative responds to a request made to the APB by the municipal area of tourism on the basis of a contribution of one hundred thousand euros that the managing body of the port of Palma is required to make annually. The work involved the installation of three modules of pergolas in the pedestrian zone of the seawall road, giving the tourists protection from the sun when they get off the bus to start their tour of the city or while they wait. These works were executed by the APB in fulfillment of its commitment with the Palma City Council as of the time it initiated its function as employer of Palma de Mallorca 365 Tourism Foundation. This initiative is the first of the annual contributions from APB to the Foundation. The pergolas are formed by structures made of wooden slats and modular galvanized steel frames which incorporate night lighting along the route.
The port of Maó has decided to delimit the areas where recreational fishing is allowed for fishermen licensed by the Regional Department of Economics the Department of Environment and Hunting of the Insular Council of Minorca, with the following requirements: Fishing from the docks It is prohibited to fish from the docks of Cós Nou, Colársega, -including the slipway area- on the Poniente Docks (except for the walls of the jetties in front of the Casa del Mar and the Levant and Commercial Docks (ferry terminal and passenger pier ). It prohibits casting of lines when using rod and reel which could cause harm to others. Fishermen may not leave traces of their activity on the dock or undertake any action which will disturb the occupants of nearby boats. The placement of the rods may not affect the docked boats or users who walk through the pedestrian zones. Also fishing is prohibited, except with a fixed pole, in those areas of the docks where there are groups of boats moored, to prevent the remains of hooks from getting entangled in mooring components and doing possible damage to people on the boats. Fishing boats It is prohibited to fish from boats in the transit zone area between Punta de Cala Rata, Punta de Cala Figuera and Colársega. Nor is fishing permitted from boats anchored in the access channels or where anchoring is prohibited. In any case, it is mandatory at all times to follow the instructions given by staff of the Balearic Port Authority and other agencies. Attached is a map of the different affected areas.
The APB successfully organized last Saturday, the first lighthouse open house, through a Facebook page that is linked to the web portal www.farsdebalears.com. The lighthouse chosen for this initiative was at Porto Colom in the Majorcan municipality of Felanitx and the response from lighthouse enthusiasts was excellent. About one hundred people took the opportunity to climb up to the lighthouse beacon of Portocolom, where the technician responsible maritime signals for this installation, Paco Montanes, told visitors stories and intriguing anecdotes about this particular lighthouse. Because of the interest lighthouses arouse among the general public all around the world and the existent demand to satisfy this interest, the APB decided to share this precious heritage, in both a material and human documentary that revolves around the world of lighthouses in the Balearic Islands with the creation of the web portal www.farsdebalears.com.
This evening the port of Ibiza will carry out a test trail for docking ships at the new north quay of the Botafoc docks after the reception of the partial stage of the construction which has been regarded as completed. However, this does not mean that the new facility will be put into service to the public at this time. The ship Federico Garcia Lorca, from the company Balearia and coming from the port of Denia, will be responsible for inaugurating the north quay, at approximately seven o´clock. Construction work on the port of Ibiza is on schedule. Work on the development of the esplanade is progressing well and is forecast to be completed in autumn, once the high season is finished. Once the Botafoc docks start to function, existing deficiencies in security, space and comfort in the port will be resolved and heavy, disturbing port operations will be moved away from the urban center.
La Autoridad Portuaria de Baleares (APB) ha convocado el III Concurso de Pintura y Fotografía, dedicado en esta edición a los puertos de interés general de Baleares. En el certamen colaboran el Círculo de Bellas Artes de Palma de Mallorca y el Centro de Historia y Cultura Militar de Palma.En el concurso pueden participar todos los pintores y fotógrafos que lo deseen, con la condición de que el tema de las obras presentadas estén relacionadas con los faros de las Islas Baleares y los puertos de Palma, Alcúdia, Maó, Eivissa y la Savina, gestionados todos por la APB.La APB aporta una dotación económica en premios de seis mil cuatro cientos euros repartidos en tres categorías: acuarela, otras técnicas pictóricas y fotografía. Las obras deberán depositarse del 15 al 30 de octubre en los resgistros de la APB de los puertos de Palma, Maó y Eivissa. El Jurado de Selección y Calificación estará formado por representantes de la APB, del Círculo de Bellas Artes de Palma de Mallorca y diversas personas de reconocido prestigio del mundo del arte que serán nombrados por la APB a propuesta del Círculo de Bellas Artes de Palma de Mallorca. Las obras premiadas serán objeto de una exposición que se organizará a final de año en el Centro de Historia y Cultura Militar de Palma (claustro de Santa Margalida).Las bases del concurso pueden consultarse en www.portsdebalears.com.
The president of the Balearic Islands Port Authority, José María Urrutia, and the chief of the National Police Headquarters in the Balearic Islands, Antonio Emilio Jarabo, today presented to the media the new location that the port of Palma has granted to the National Police in Ferry Terminal 3. The president of the APB stressed that this cession responds to the request made by the Police for premises in the port to ensure better security in embarking and disembarking and alien control, given the forecast increase in passengers for the coming years. Meanwhile, the chief of police in the Balearic Islands has pointed out the synergy between the two administrations to provide better service to citizens. These new facilities will house a group of the UPR, as well as a motorcycle unit with a force of about ninety. The National Police already has two locations provided by the port of Palma in Ferry Terminal 2.
The APB has acquired two new gangways for boarding / disembarking passengers at the port of Palma. Large cruise ships have problems with traditional gangways because the angle of slope to access their entrances is very pronounced. The new gangways, which are located at Ferry Terminals 1 and 3, are in two sections and the steepness of the slope angle is reduced. The APB will receive the new walkways, constructed and installed by the company TEAM, in the first week of April. They will enter into service after making the relevant trials and training the operators. The contract’s budget for these two approaches has been elevated to 2.2 million euros.
The president of the APB, José María Urrutia leads the Balearic delegation to the Miami Seatrade Cruise Shipping fair, to promote the Balearic Islands as an attractive cruise destination. "This is a joint effort led by the APB to reinforce the idea of the importance of the destination, that is to say, the combination of port infrastructure and tourist offer, and to present this package in Miami," said Urrutia. The APB has its own booth at the Miami cruise fair which shipping agents and tourism operators from the Islands, as well as the Department of Tourism and Sports and the municipalities of Ibiza, Mahon and Alcudia, will use as a platform to promote the different island ports as gateways to the Balearic Islands destination.
67.3% of cruise passengers who made landfall last year at the port of Palma were very satisfied with the tourist product experienced while visiting the island of Majorca, according to a satisfaction survey conducted for the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) for the 2011 season. What they valued most were the natural landscapes and heritage of the Island and what they valued least were prices in general. The vast majority devoted their time exploring on their own and going shopping. The average expenditure per person per day ranged from 50 to 58 euros in shops, bars, on souvenirs and in transportation, according to whether the cruise passenger was on a stopover or the port was a base. These data are derived from the satisfaction surveys conducted under the initiative of the APB of more than two thousand cruise passengers from the ports of Palma, Ibiza and Mahon, during the 2011 cruise season. In addition to their degree of satisfaction of the tourist product, their views on the ports visited were also sought. In the case of Palm, 61.1% were very satisfied with the port. The most positive results were for safety, cleanliness and the friendliness of staff, while the worst scores were for lack of tourist information and the long distances that must be traveled on foot. In regards to Mahon, 77.4% were very satisfied. The most appreciated aspects were safety, cleanliness, friendliness of staff and the short distances to travel on foot, while the worst was the lack of tourist information available. Finally, in Ibiza, 53.9% were very satisfied with the port. The highest scores were for the friendly staff, security, cleanliness and accessibility, while the lowest were for lack of available tourist information and signage.
Once again, the Balearic delegation, headed by the chairman of the APB, José María Urrutia, will participate next week in the Miami Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention, the world´s largest cruise industry fair. They will be representing the Balearic Islands in this promotional event organized by the State Ports every year in this American city. Together with the APB, shipping agents and tourism representatives from the Islands will form part of delegation traveling to Miami. The Department of Tourism and Sports and the municipalities of Ibiza, Alcudia and Mahon will also be using of the stand sponsored by the APB for their promotional activities. Following the historic season of 2011, which beat important records in both numbers of stopovers and passengers, the current season begins the culmination of important infrastructures for the enhancement of cruise traffic. These include the expansion of the Poniente docks of the port of Palma and the construction of the Botafoc docks in the port of Ibiza.