The APB intensifies maritime traffic control and safety in the port of La Savina

The APB intensifies maritime traffic control and safety in the port of La Savina

 15/06/2021

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) is going to intensify the control of compliance with the regulations concerning mooring authorisations in the port of La Savina, with the aim of guaranteeing safe port operations and offering the best service to passengers. It has specifically reminded shipping companies operating the route between Eivissa and Formentera of their obligation to respect the maximum navigation speeds in port areas, mandatory compliance with the requirements that limit certain simultaneous manoeuvres and strict compliance with departure times, in order to ensure good service to regular passengers. Improving the service In addition, the APB plans to improve the Port Control service in both ports in the short term and to extend the studies on the operational limitations of the port of La Savina. All these measures lead to continuous improvement in the safety of port, maritime and land operations.

Transport and infrastructure Environment and CSR
Inauguration of an exhibition on half a century of lighthouse work in the Balearic Islands

Inauguration of an exhibition on half a century of lighthouse work in the Balearic Islands

 14/06/2021

The president and director of the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB), Francesc Antich and Jorge Nasarre López, and the president and secretary of the Balearic Islands branch of the Association of Civil Engineers, Juan Antonio Esteban Rodríguez and José Alejandro Asensi López, respectively, inaugurated a new exhibition, dedicated to the work carried out over the last half century on the lighthouses and navigation aid systems of the Balearic Islands. The ten images, selected by the APB and the Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos (Association of Civil Engineers) are located in front of the south door of the old office building of the Port Authority, on Palma's Old Quay. The lighthouses selected are Tagomago, Moscarter, Sa Bleda Plana, Portopí, Barbaria, Llebeig, Cavalleria, Alcanada, Sa Mola and La Mola, which have been modernised since 1970, most of them with electrification projects. These premises stand out for their integration into the environment and their usefulness in saving lives. The original authors of the projects, not always of the reforms, were Rafael Soler, Mauro Serret, Emili Pou, Eusebi Estada, Antonio López Montalvo and Pedro Garau Cañellas. Rafael Soler is the only one of these engineers who is still alive. The APB and the Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos joined this initiative by contributing images and texts, in Spanish and Catalan, that identify the lighthouses that have benefited from interventions by engineering professionals and the support of the APB for little more than half a century. This has resulted in an exceptional collection of 20 photographs, 10 infographics and 20 technical texts, as well as other generic descriptions, which stand out for their historical and scientific value. Lighthouse ignition systems, machinery and optics form part of the exhibition. The collection informs visitors about the origin and evolution of lighthouses and other navigational aids from 1970 to the present day, and the importance they have for ships. They include the most primitive maritime signals and the first buildings erected with acoustic, electronic and visual signals, to the present day, when navigation aids are highly technical and remotely controlled. With the development of new technologies, many of the signal elements have lost their original use but retain their heritage and historical value. Some of them are now on display in the port of Palma, on the Old Quay.

Port-city Technology and innovation
The APB employees' sustainable mobility challenge reduces the emission of 561 kg of CO2 for one month

The APB employees' sustainable mobility challenge reduces the emission of 561 kg of CO2 for one month

 10/06/2021

2,563 km travelled and 561 kg of CO2 less in the atmosphere. These are the figures produced by the CicloGreen sustainable mobility pilot project during the month of April. Some thirty employees of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) took part in this 30-day challenge, whose main objective was to promote sustainable mobility within the organisation in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions from transport. Employees preferred the bicycle as a means of transport, although they also walked, used public transport, carpooling or electric vehicles. The Ciclogreen mobile application enabled employees to record their sustainable journeys and enter a prize draw to win various prizes, such as a bicycle or a weekend in a country house. Through this challenge, the APB is collaborating in the process of transition from the prevailing mobility model in our cities to a more sustainable, efficient and safe one. Environmental strategy The general lines of the APB's Environmental Strategy were presented before the prize draw among the employees who had passed the challenge. As a result, numerous projects were developed, in particular, those for monitoring air quality at ports, electrical land connections of ships in port, the Cleanport project, the meteorological and oceanographic support system (SAMOA), Signals XXI, the agreement with the Save the Med Foundation, sustainable cleaning of the port waters, monitoring of litter bins and organic matter containers, energy transformation of the terminals and the GreenHyland, Portfoward and Balith projects.

Environment and CSR Technology and innovation
New children's playground for the port of La Savina

New children's playground for the port of La Savina

 08/06/2021

The new playground at the port of La Savina, funded by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (PAB), is now open to the public and provides to the citizens with an area located on the promenade of the Marina next to the Formentera Mar tower. The playground is intended for children aged 5 to 12 and includes all safety measures required in the manufacture, installation, inspection and maintenance of the park by the European standards UNE-EN 1176 and UNE-EN1177. In addition, the playground equipment chosen is built with materials resistant to marine environments. The 225 square metre area consists of a Landscape Structures model with an arch, climbing frame, bridge, slide, balancing activity and swing. Built by the Parrot Asfaltomeros joint venture, the project cost more than 72,000 euros. Refurbishment project This action is part of a larger project to improve the roads and pedestrian areas at the entrance to the port of La Savina, to provide it with infrastructures that are better adapted to current needs and more comfortable for its users. These include an improved landscaping, paving, signposting, street lighting, cycle lanes and viewpoints.

Port-city
The APB and the Consell de Mallorca revalidate the agreement for fire protection and firefighting, rescue and public safety for the port of Alcúdia

The APB and the Consell de Mallorca revalidate the agreement for fire protection and firefighting, rescue and public safety for the port of Alcúdia

 02/06/2021

Further strengthening of cooperation between the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) and the Consell de Mallorca, through the signing of an agreement on fire protection and firefighting, rescue and public safety in the port of Alcúdia. The aim of the agreement is to increase the technical collaboration of the APB and the Bombers de Mallorca in order to raise safety levels in the port area of Alcúdia and to make the most of the resources and means available. The president of the APB, Francesc Antich, and the president of the Consell de Mallorca, Catalina Cladera, signed the new agreement in a ceremony attended by the director of the APB, Jorge Nasarre, and the councillor of the Treasury and Civil Service, Josep Lluís Colom. The president of the APB, Francesc Antich, highlighted "the opportunity to benefit from an agreement that has been working very well for almost a decade", and valued the continuity of the agreement between the institutions to ensure "an optimal level of security in the port area and optimisation of public resources". "We continue to reinforce safety and protection in the port of Alcúdia with the presence of the Mallorca Fire Brigade, guaranteeing the provision of a specialised quality service adapted to the demands of port activity," said the president of the Consell, Catalina Cladera. To this end, the APB will provide the staff of the Bombers de Mallorca (BdM) with material and a specific training programme for port emergencies, with a budget of €286,000 for the next four years. Internal Emergency Plan (IEP) The port of Alcúdia has an Internal Emergency Plan (IEP) drawn up by the APB in which the BdM is considered an intervention group. Through this agreement, the members of the Mallorca Fire Brigade undertake to intervene in extinguishing fires on land and on boats, public safety operations, evacuation tasks, land rescue operations, loading and unloading of hazardous goods and participation in drills, among other risky activities. This reciprocal cooperation dates back to 2002, when the first collaboration agreement was signed between the two institutions and which has been revalidated with the signing of the new agreement. Through this agreement, the APB collaborates in tasks carried out by the BdM at all times and provides human resources for the development of surveillance activities in the service area of the port of Alcúdia. A Joint Monitoring Commission made up of three members from each of the parties will coordinate the development of this agreement.

Technology and innovation Transport and infrastructure
The APB presents its port innovation ecosystem

The APB presents its port innovation ecosystem

 31/05/2021

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), together with more than fifty of its stakeholders, has started to reflect on the innovative initiatives taken by the organisation. All this has materialised today in the presentation of the port innovation ecosystem, in which the president of the APB, Francesc Antich, the director, Jorge Nasarre, and the head of the Quality, Environment, Innovation and CSR department, Jorge Martín, took part. According to the president, today’s event "expresses the desire to start a close collaboration with all those who can play relevant and decisive roles in promoting the best operation of our ports". Antich pointed out that "it is a good initiative for public administrations, the business fabric, the academic sector and civil society to come together to create an ecosystem to promote and innovative, more social, more sustainable and more inclusive economic model". Jorge Nasarre outlined the specific objectives of the Strategic Plan on which the APB is working, in which innovation itself is a strategy that encompasses the rest: "This is a tool that will allow us to achieve our vision and mission, and we do not want to and cannot do it alone," he said. As far as Jorge Martín is concerned, he went into the parameters that help us to measure the innovation of a region, with the aim of "moving forward together towards the port of the future". The port ecosystem, in continuous growth, includes projects such as the Port Centre in the moll Vell, the Marine Pole, the Technology Transfer Centre in the Riba lighthouse and other future initiatives such as a Sand-Box in the commercial docks and the Maritime Museum in the Contramuelle-Mollet. Finally, KPMG's Director of Innovation, Quim Martínez, highlighted the importance of open innovative ecosystems as knowledge-based drivers, where the private sector leads the initiative and the public sector facilitates it. Nou Llevant Innovation District A large part of the public authority's contribution to innovation is embodied in the "Districte d'Innovació Nou Llevant" initiative, which aims to turn the Nou Llevant area, Soledad sur and the seafront into a new economic hub for Palma based on the knowledge economy, digitalisation and innovation. The APB will participate in this initiative through the development of the Marine Pole, which mainly includes the work of the Coastal Observation and Forecasting System (SOCIB) and the Spanish Oceanographic Institute (IOE).

Technology and innovation
The APB grants cargo handling licences to the company Grimaldi Logística España so that it can operate in Palma, Maó and Eivissa

The APB grants cargo handling licences to the company Grimaldi Logística España so that it can operate in Palma, Maó and Eivissa

 31/05/2021

In an ordinary session held on 26 May 2021, the Board of Directors of the APB agreed to grant Grimaldi Logística España, S.L. provisional 1-year cargo handling licenses in the ports of Palma, Maó and Eivissa. On 19 May 2021, the company applied to be able to provide services for the public stowing and unstowing of ships at State ports in the Balearic Islands, which would allow it to operate in the three aforementioned ports. Additionally, during the course of continuous improvement in the provision of services, it has been considered appropriate to require a commitment by the company to obtain quality and environmental management certificates within a maximum period of one year from the date of entry into force of the licence. Concerns about staff shortages On the other hand, at the president's information report, the Board of Directors discussed the worrying situation of the staff of this port authority, as well as that of the rest of the state port system, due to the lack of resolution by the Executive Committee of the Interministerial Remuneration Commission (CECIR) regarding the application of the 2.3% salary update for 2020 and the additional salaries reflected in the certificate of closure of the 3rd Collective Agreement of State Ports and Port Authorities for 2019, 2020 and 2021. It has also dealt with the worrying situation caused by the insufficient structure and in-house staff due to Government Employment restrictions.

Transport and infrastructure Socio-economic development
The cleaning of Can Pere Antoni beach and the Roquetas, Troneras and Can Barbarà slipways in the port of Palma is put out to tender

The cleaning of Can Pere Antoni beach and the Roquetas, Troneras and Can Barbarà slipways in the port of Palma is put out to tender

 31/05/2021

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has put out to public tender the provisional cleaning of the beach of Can Pere Antoni and the slipways of Roquetas, Troneras and Can Barbarà for a period of nine months, while a definitive contract is being drawn up that will provide more services than those currently in force. This will ensure optimal maintenance of these areas during the summer season. The contract includes three types of action: preventive, corrective and management of the resulting waste. In addition, the company awarded the contract undertakes to rectify any faults in the progress of the work within two hours. Preventive cleaning includes maintenance of the Can Pere Antoni beach, located to the west of the area known as Punta des Gas, with an approximate area of 1,100 m2, and the Troneras and Roquetas del Portixol slipways as well as the Can Barbarà slipway located on the same dock next to the Mal Pas stream. The successful tenderer of the contract undertakes to clean the beach of Can Pere Antoni by mechanical and manual means on a daily basis in high season and every two days in low season, on working days in the early hours of the morning. All rubbish and debris washed ashore by the sea must be removed, such as dead Posidonia leaves, nets, tyres, cables, ropes, trolleys, bottles, plastics, boat parts, metallic elements and biological remains, among others. The Troneras and Can Barbarà slipways will be cleaned fortnightly, and the Roquetas one every week. At all of them, the service consists of the removal of waste, accumulation of sand, biological remains (verdigris) and any other element both on land and in the sea. Tendering phase This project, which is currently in the open tendering phase, has an initial budget of 72,336 euros and a maximum term of nine months with no possibility of extension. The deadline for receiving bids is 4 June 2021. Interested parties may submit their applications through the APB's e-tendering portal.

Port-city Environment and CSR
The ports of Palma and Eivissa host the presentation of Baleària's Eleanor Roosevelt, a symbol of its commitment to eco-efficiency and innovation

The ports of Palma and Eivissa host the presentation of Baleària's Eleanor Roosevelt, a symbol of its commitment to eco-efficiency and innovation

 17/05/2021

Baleària's first fast ferry, the Eleanor Roosevelt, was presented to the public yesterday in the ports of Palma and Eivissa. Representatives of different stakeholders of the shipping company and of the nautical and port sector were able to visit the world's first fast ferry with dual fuel natural gas/diesel engines. This sustainable and innovative catamaran has been connecting Palma with Eivissa and Dénia since 1 May. The president of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), Francesc Antich, who exchanged a metope with the captain of the new vessel, Pedro Puertas, in the port of Palma, said: "The energy transformation in our ports is a great challenge that the APB is facing, and it is aware that it cannot do it alone, as it needs the collaboration of all port operators. Baleària's initiative and its commitment to the environment fits in perfectly with our strategy of being a benchmark port in sustainability and technological innovation". In turn, in the port of Eivissa, Ignacio Revilla, delegate of the ports of Eivissa and La Savina of the APB, was responsible for presenting the metope, commemorating the vessel's first call at the port. He also commented on the entry into service in the port of Eivissa, 8 months ago, of the first 100% electric catamaran in the world for the cleaning of port waters and implementation of lignin batteries to store energy generated by the photovoltaic panels of the car park of the future Botafoc Maritime Station, as well as other projects related to sustainability and commitment to the territory. 1,200 passengers and 450 cars on board The shipping company has invested 90 million euros in this fast ferry with capacity for 1,200 passengers and 450 cars, which has cafeterias and a children's play area, a free digital entertainment platform, video surveillance of pets, Internet, among others. In addition, its high-tech innovations offer a comfortable crossing and spacious and bright spaces. The Eleanor Roosevelt is the seventh Baleària ship to use natural gas, which reduces toxic emissions, which are monitored by the measuring devices and sensors installed on board, within the framework of a project co-financed by the European Commission's CEF funds. The Eleanor Roosevelt, a pioneer in world maritime transport, was built at the Armon shipyard in Gijón.

Environment and CSR Technology and innovation Transport and infrastructure
A lift installed by the APB and the Town Council will improve pedestrian accessibility at Costa de ses Voltes in the port of Maó

A lift installed by the APB and the Town Council will improve pedestrian accessibility at Costa de ses Voltes in the port of Maó

 12/05/2021

A panoramic lift financed mainly by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will from now on bridge the 25.06 m difference in height on the Ses Voltes coast between the Claustro del Carmen and the port of Maó. The tower is equipped with a walkway that connects the upper landing with the expansion of the viewpoint square next to the Cloister and is protected from possible landslides by consolidation of the cliff. The president of the APB, Francesc Antich, has indicated that "our intention is to bring the ports closer to the city with a view to their socio-economic integration through innovation and respect for the environment". On the other hand, the Mayor of Maó, Héctor Pons, affirmed that the new lift will be "a direct connection between the centre of the city and the port of Maó, which will allow people to walk in both directions, reducing architectural barriers". In this respect, the mayor added that the new installation will become "a determining element in the city, which will function as a major driving force of the entire port and the whole area around the Claustro del Carmen". The result of this work is "very positive, with a very high level of acceptance among the citizens of Maó and among the visitors who come to the town", concluded Héctor Pons. The contract, awarded to the company Copcisa-Olives for 1,232,680.57 euros, is already in operation. The work was carried out without restricting traffic in ses Voltes and in coordination with both the town planning services of the Maó Town Council and the catering businesses in the area, using small machines to reduce the impact, especially on pedestrian traffic. The building has also been integrated into the landscape, given its location near the historic centre of Maó, through the colour of the concrete and the structure with the two natural tones of the maritime façade. With this intervention, the APB continues with its strategy of integrating the ports into the cities and involving citizens in the various leisure possibilities that the ports have to offer. Access point to the port The Costa de ses Voltes is one of the main access points between the port and the town centre. The city centre is currently accessed by means of a conventional staircase with several sections and a succession of curves in order to overcome the existing unevenness. The improved connectivity will therefore increase social integration by providing more universal accessibility without jeopardising people’s health. The APB and Maó Town Council signed an agreement in February 2018 to proceed with the project, given the importance of access between the port and the city centre, and the need for efficient and sustainable urban mobility. The construction of this building outside the port area was therefore approved under the Port Land Accessibility Financial Fund.

Port-city Socio-economic development
The APB awards MARINA ASMEN the management of mooring and workshop facilities on the Poniente quay of the port of Maó

The APB awards MARINA ASMEN the management of mooring and workshop facilities on the Poniente quay of the port of Maó

 07/05/2021

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has chosen the proposal presented by the company MARINA ASMEN, S.L. as the appropriate solution in the public tender called for the award of the concession for the management of mooring and workshop facilities on the Poniente quay of the port of Maó. An occupancy permit is therefore granted with facilities for the mooring of pleasure boats, workshop boats or those for sale afloat and the supply of water and electricity, and optionally telephones and data transmission. The annual occupancy fee is €100,548.74 and is granted for a period of 2 years. The activity fee has been set at 4% of the turnover. On the other hand, MARINA ASMEN has offered a fee improvement of €13,150. The administrative concession consists of a total surface area of 12,896 square metres (12,842 m2 of water surface and 54 m2 of land). The Poniente quay will have a mooring line of 273.15 metres, and five sections of pontoons of 50 metres each. On land, it has a 10 x 2.50 metre enclosure for the accumulation of waste in containers and an area equipped with support infrastructures and electricity, drainage and plumbing connections to two prefabricated modules.

Port-city Socio-economic development
Work has started on the construction of the Molinar de Levante marina building

Work has started on the construction of the Molinar de Levante marina building

 07/05/2021

This Monday, 10 May, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will launch the tender for the construction of the Molinar de Levante marina. The work will be carried out by the company ACSA Obras e Infraestructuras, S.A.U., and is expected to be completed in early 2022. The budget for this project is €864,761. The original building was built in 1927 and designed by the architect, Carles Garau. It has a square design with two floors, a tower and terraces. Its construction is regionalist with a Mares stone structure and timber roof truss. Over the years, different extensions have been made to the main section on the ground floor. These extensions made for restoration purposes consist of different construction methods not related to each other or to the original building. Construction project The project is aimed at refurbishing the historic building of the Molinar de Levante marina in the city of Palma, taking into account the urban planning conditions of Palma’s Special Port Plan, the cultural interest of the building based on its history and its construction type, and equipping it with the functional conditions necessary for the general restoration of the ground floor and facilities for the members of the maritime club on the first floor. This work will be carried out within the general framework for remodelling Molinar port (Project for the Improvement of the Port-City Environment and operations at Molinar port), which involved reinforcing the maritime security equipment, creating a new sailing school facility, redeveloping the port in general with new spaces for public use and lengthening the promenade.

Port-city Transport and infrastructure