News APB | Ports de Balears

THE PORT AUTHORITY OF THE BALEARIC ISLANDS INFORMS THE EL MOLINAR MARITIME CLUB OF THE FUTURE OF ITS FACILITIES IN THE PORT OF PALMA

07/02/2019

This morning, at the meeting held between representatives of the El Molinar Maritime Club and the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), the APB has informed the club of its intention to ensure that all nautical facilities will keep their current dimensions and social character. The aim is for there to be a nautical sports facility which ensures that these recreational and sporting pursuits can be continued on the same water surface this port has always offered. There is no actual increase to the sea surface area occupied, however, the land area is maximised by dedicating more space to a sailing school which encourages this sport among children. The refurbishment project is scheduled for the end of February and will start with the repair and renewal of all parts which are in a state of deterioration and not suitable for use, such as the breakwater and the land areas. The building will also be rebuilt, so it becomes an updated version of what it currently offers. The budget for this project is €3 million which will be paid for by the APB. A tender process will be held to decide which company carries out the project for the refurbishment of the port. If no suitable company is found, the APB will put it out to open public tender, under the same conditions demanded from a yacht club organisation. Financial viability The APB has carried out a prior study which certifies the financial viability of the project, with a positive outcome. The aim of the APB is that this private activity is compatible with the public’s use and enjoyment of not just El Molinar, but so all the people of Palma can enjoy a seafront without any infrastructure blocking or spoiling the view. The APB believes that this project deals with and fulfils a double objective: combining private sporting leisure activities with the interests of all citizens regarding a public investment. Finally, it should also be mentioned that the representatives of El Molinar have been informed that the approximately 80 moorings for small length vessels that they control will be temporarily and exclusively located while the work is being carried out in one of the floating docks that the APB is planning to install in its Portitxol facilities.

IN 2018, BALEARIC ISLANDS´ GENERAL INTEREST PORTS EXCEED 16 MILLION TONNES OF GOODS

06/02/2019

According to traffic statistics from the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), the quantity of goods passing through the Balearic Islands´ General Interest Ports amounted to 16.2 million tons during the financial year 2018. That´s an 800,000 ton growth since 2017, or in other words, 5% more than the previous year. All 5 ports of general interest have experienced increases in volume of goods, save the Port of La Savina, where volume has decreased by 3%. The total volume of goods then has increased by 7% in the Port of Palma, 6% in the Port of Mahon, 5% in the Port of Alcudia and 2% in the Port of Ibiza. In total, more than 13 million tons of general merchandise (consumer goods) were registered as having passed through the ports (+7%) in 2018, corresponding to 8,571,247 in the Port of Palma (+6%), 2,709,468 in the Port of Ibiza (+4%), 1,076,925 in the Port of Alcudia (+30%), 461,584 in the Port of Mahon (+6%) and 247,671 in the Port of La Savina (-5%). In terms of liquid bulk (basically, combustibles), the Balearics are, overall, seeing a total growth of 9%, increasing in the Ports of Palma (18%), Mahon (9%) and Alcudia (2%), while decreasing in Ibiza (-21%). Solid bulks (carbon, grains, salt, construction materials, etc.) have fallen by 12% in total, increasing in the Port of La Savina (+33%) and decreasing in the others: Palma (-22%), Mahon (-12%), Alcudia (-11%) and Ibiza (-7%). Growth in number of passengers in Alcudia Lastly, if we analyse the number of passengers to the 5 ports, in 2018 that figure was 8.9 million, 8% more than in 2017. Of that 8.9 million, 6.5 corresponds to regular transport lines and 2.4 to cruise ships. All ports operated by the APB have seen a growth in number of passengers, all except the Port of Mahon, where that number decreased by 11%. This highlights the notable growth of passengers to the Port of Alcudia, with 32% coinciding with the launch of the new regular route connecting Alcudia and Toulon, France. Palma has also registered a major 17% growth, while in the ports of the Pityusic Islands, growth has been more moderate (4% in La Savina and 2% in Ibiza). More information in Statistics

Chairwoman of Puertos del Estado agrees with the APB: ports should contribute to improving their urban surroundings

05/02/2019

The Chairwoman of Puertos del Estado, Ornella Chacón, agrees with the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) that ports should contribute to improving their surrounding urban areas. She stresses the case of general interest ports on the Balearic Islands, as they are so closely connected to their surrounding towns and cities. Chacón issued these statements after an institutional visit to the President of the Regional Government of the Balearic Islands, Francina Armengol. The visit took place this morning at the Parliament of the Balearic Islands, and was also attended by the APB Chairman, Joan Gual de Torrella. Specifically, the Chairwoman of Puertos del Estado referred to the works planned by APB on the Paseo Marítimo de Palma, having received a detailed report of this project during her visit to the Mallorcan capital. In this respect, Chacón said that port resources should also be used to improve the city's image, "because the port also benefits from the attraction that this city represents". In turn, the APB Chairman confirmed that the building project is currently in the drafting phase and that the works will be put to tender by the middle of the year, with construction beginning in 2020. Port-city transformation Gual de Torrella highlighted the transformation of the ports managed by APB, which are all located in urban environments. "Port and city is the same thing. There is no line that separates one from the other", he said, while emphasising the new seaside promenades being constructed at the Eivissa and La Savina ports. The Chairwoman of Puertos del Estado is in Palma today and tomorrow to attend a series of internal conferences of the Spanish port system on the future of the strategic framework of general interest State port. She will be joined at these conferences by around sixty participants including chairpersons and directors of port authorities from across Spain.

THE APB AND THE PALMA CITY COUNCIL PRESENT WELCOME PALMA, AN APP WHICH OFFERS PERSONALISED AND USEFUL INFORMATION FOR CRUISE TOURISTS

04/02/2019

The President of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), Joan Gual de Torrella, and the Councillor for Tourism, Business and Employment of the Palma City Council, Joana M. Adrover, have this morning presented the Welcome Palma app at the APB headquarters. This is a tool created by the APB in collaboration with the Palma 365 Tourism Foundation and the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB). It is aimed at providing personal information to the cruise tourists who get off in Palma, and hopes to improve visitor satisfaction and help control infrastructure. The app feeds off information obtained through the port and Palma city WiFi network, which also allows us to control the flow of visitors in real time. In this way, the information we obtain can help us offer information specific to each tourist which will improve their stay. It also can help satisfy visitors and help achieve a more balanced spread of tourists around the points of interest in the city. Welcome Palma lets users know in real time which places are the busiest and helps organise the most convenient itinerary. It also provides additional information on culture, public transport services and gives up-to-date weather forecasts. The app will be trialled starting on Tuesday 5 February as the Costa Diadema cruise ship arrives. This test period will last for between 4 and 6 weeks, in which data obtained over the WiFi network will be collected and analysed. It is hoped that the app will be available to everybody by Easter. Among its more innovative features, it is worth highlighting the ability to show ‘heat maps’ which indicate the sites where there are a lot of visitors, and the ‘chatterbot’, which goes by the name of Sebastian. This virtual guide, named after the Patron Saint of the city, will guide tourists throughout their visit and help them decide what to do. It also provides cruise tourists with clear and simple information regarding the time schedule of the cruise ship stopover, and the public transport available to ensure that they get back to the ship on time. The best way to access the app is through Facebook, given that this enables the tourist to get personalised information, with insight into the most popular sites, how busy these places are in real time, proximity, and things suited to the likes of the user. However, it can also be accessed through the web portal or the application. APB's contribution The President of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, has stated that Welcome Palma is the port's contribution to the Palma 365 Tourism Foundation, of which the APB is a member. Gual has highlighted the importance that managing and optimising the use of the new tourist feature has for cruise ship tourism, as well as the collaboration with the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) for coping with similar challenges to those faced by other cruise ship destinations such as Barcelona, Venice or Dubrovnik. The Councillor for Tourism, Business and Employment at the Palma City Council, Joana Maria Adrover, has thanked the APB for their involvement with the Palma 365 Tourism Foundation and has pointed out that this project is aimed at helping residents and visitors live together better, as well as also pointing out some other points of interest which are not so well-known by visitors. This aims to spread the benefits of this type of tourism out better. Pedro Homar, manager of the Palma 365 Tourism Foundation has shown some of the technical aspects of the application and told us that “it is a tool for controlling Palma's success as a tourist destination”. Homar explained that the app could be accessed through the internet or Facebook and would have a major benefit in preventing crowds gathering in the centre of the city, sending them instead to other places of interest. Jorge Martin, the head of Quality, Environment and Innovation at the APB and the person in charge of the project explained more technical details about the application and thanked the company Connociam, the UIB and the University of Girona for their involvement in the creation of the app.

THE APB AND STP ORGANISE AN INFORMATIVE DAY ON HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK AIMED AT VESSEL REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE WORKERS

31/01/2019

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) and Servicios Técnicos Portuarios (STP), the company responsible for managing the biggest shipyard in the port of Palma, have held an informative training session this morning on preventative legal steps when working on vessels. This training was aimed at repair and maintenance workers. The session has focused on presenting the latest developments in Health and Safety at work with regard to the coordination of business operations under the Royal Decree 171/2004 of 30 January. Cristina Gómez, lawyer specialising in international law and conflict mediation, has led the talk, placing emphasis on the importance of information, vigilance and coordination of the business operations which take place in the work centres. As a result, the guidelines of this Royal Decree on Health and Safety at Work has been fulfilled. Gómez has centred on the shared responsibility when it comes to safety, which goes from the shipowner, who in this case is the STP, through the vessel operators, down to the workers on the ground and the companies who hire these workers. The head of Safety, Environment and Protection at the APB, Josep Aubareda, emphasised the substantial effort on the part of the STP over the last few years in the field of health and safety at work, as well as coordination of the business operations which take place within the shipyard. Aubareda has highlighted that in the past 18 months, there have been no fires in the area managed by STP, which is a common type of incident in these types of areas. The head of safety at the STP, Jesus Dominguez, has praised the high level of fulfilment of the safety systems at his company, both for the health and safety of their employees as well as in meeting the current regulations. Dominquez believes it to be very important to have communication and coordination when it comes to health and safety at work, particularly as the STP model is based on an open shipyard which holds a large number of workers and companies in one work area. STP manages a surface of maritime public land domain of 24,422 square metres, of which 14,743 are land and 9,679 water. It generates 800 direct positions, 1,500 indirect jobs and 600 related posts, without taking into account the crew on board the vessels.

THE APB TENDERS THE WORK FOR STRENGTHENING THE WHARF OF DOCK OF BOTAFOC IN THE PORT OF IBIZA

29/01/2019

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has opened a bidding process for the refurbishment and improvement of the outer perimeter of the wharf of the Botafoc dock in the port of Ibiza. The budget for this tendering stands at €1,140,606.49, including VAT, and the deadline for submitting a bid is 18 February 2019. The company which is awarded the contract will have a maximum of 10 months to execute it. The dock of the Botafoc in the port of Ibiza, which was built in 2003 as a dock which would shelter this port, started to show signs of deterioration in 2015, especially in the most exposed areas of its outer surface. In light of this problem, and the progressive deterioration of the concrete, the APB has requested the corresponding reports from a specialised company to assess the situation and propose the most suitable technical solutions. These solutions arise from the study of the causes for the deterioration of the facing and the establishment of the recommendations for its repair, which were given by the Centre for Public Works Studies and Experimentation (CEDEX in Spanish) taking into account the durability, with the most suitable material being suggested for repair, which features analysis of the different mortars. Repair and prevention Some of the zones will be repaired, as is the case with the different facings and beam heads located on the sea side (exterior of the dock), while others will be given a preventative treatment, as they are located on the lee side and don’t require repair despite being in the outer area of the dock. As a result, the repair work will be significant: removal of the railing, chipping and thorough reworking of the facings, connecting reinforcement with a mesh of drill holes to ensure the union of all parts of the dock, additional shared reinforcement, shuttering and concreting of the vertical and horizontal facings, among others. With regard to the preventative measures, in the appropriate areas, there will be the application of an anti-corrosion treatment on the surface, by means of a layer of mortar or micro-concrete made from cement which is resistant to the marine environment. All the information is available at the Tender Portal of the APB.

THE APB ACQUIRES 4 HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND TENDERS FOR A FURTHER 5 ADDITIONAL 100% ELECTRIC VEHICLES

29/01/2019

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has purchased four hybrid electric vehicles for use by the Port Police in the Port of Palma. In addition, they have put out to tender the purchase of five more vehicles, 100% electric, for the group of ports of general interest which it manages. This step is taken in line with its commitment to the environment and sustainability, which is established in its policy of Social Corporate Responsibility. With this acquisition, which will help to reduce the carbon footprint, the APB continues to slowly reconvert its traditional fleet of vehicles to electric and eco-friendly ones, adapting its mobile fleet to its real needs. The four hybrid vehicles are of the Toyota Prius+ model and will be kitted out to suit the needs of the Port Police. As a result, they will contain features such as the necessary police kit, which contains the sirens, pre-installation of a transmitter, first-aid kit, extinguisher, lights and different items for identification and signalling. The supply of these vehicles was tendered with a budget, including VAT, of €139,150, and has been awarded to the company Multiauto Palma S.L. for an amount, including VAT, of €138,545, which will be delivered to the APB within the maximum time of two months. New electric cars With regard to the five 100% electric cars tendered by the APB, they include the following requirements: a car for institutional use in the port of Palma, a patrol car for the Port Police in the port of Mahon and three vans for the port of Ibiza. Two of these for Conservation and Maintenance and one more for the Port Police. The budget for the execution of this contract, including VAT, rises to €177,870. As a result, the total investment made by the APB in acquiring these nine vehicles, which are environmentally friendly, will rise to more than €300,000, including VAT.

THE APB AWARDS ACCIONA CONSTRUCCIÓN A CONTRACT FOR THE UPGRADING AND IMPROVEMENT WORKS OF THE FLOATING DOCK AT THE CÓS NOU WHARF AND FOR THE DRY DOCK RAMPS AT THE PORT OF MAHON

17/01/2019

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has awarded the company, Acciona Construcción, a contract to install floating docks and to reorganise the dock moorings at the Cós Nou wharf at the Port of Mahon, as well as to construct four new public dry-dock ramps. The aim of this work is to increase the number of direct management moorings for vessels up to 8 metres and to improve public access to the sea. The solution adopted in these actions comprises reusing the current materials after their repair and supplying the additional material, with similar characteristics to those currently in use, in order to improve the visual integration and aesthetical finishes of the works. The floating dock, located at Sa Colàrsega on the far west of the port, will measure 140 linear metres. This length is achieved by making the most of five sections that are already there, the relocation of three further sections and the restoration of five sections currently coupled together at the port's north esplanade. In addition to constructing the dock, the direct management moorings located at the Cós Nou wharf will be reorganised, achieving a total of 160 mooring positions for eight-metre long vessels. Furthermore, new anchorage equipment will be incorporated to optimise mooring security. Ramps of public use The four new ramps planned will be located at different points around the Mallorcan port. These locations are Sa Colàrsega –which will also have a parking area for vehicles with trailers–, Cala Rata and Cala Llonga. The ramp currently located at Cala Corb will be renovated. The dry dock ramp at Sa Colàrsega will be located close to the floating docks for small length vessels and it will have a parking area for vehicles with vessel trailers, which will be fenced off and will cover 800 square metres. At Cala Rata, a ramp will be created with a greater surface area to improve vehicle manoeuvring. With regard to the ramp at Cala Llonga, a road allowing access to it from the street will also be constructed. At Cala Corb, the current ramp will be knocked down and replaced. A similar solution will be used on all of the dry dock ramps, which comprises a structure with a 10-15% gradient measuring four metres wide, delimited by two retaining side walls, one measuring 60 cm in width, and the other 120 cm. All the construction work will be undertaken in mass concrete, which will be encased in stone to improve its appearance. The works contract was for 432,395.92 euros, VAT included, and the completion deadline is 60 days. As such, in addition to improving the tender budget, fixed at 499,475.31 euros, VAT included, a shorter deadline was also achieved, given that the tender conditions stipulated a maximum deadline of three months.

Completion of the Mola Lighthouse works of the Formentera Council

17/01/2019

Today, Jaume Ferrer, president of the Formentera Council, and Joan Gual de Torrella, president of the APB, paid a visit to see the completion of the renovation works on the Mola Lighthouse. The two presidents were also accompanied by Susana Labrador, presidency councillor, Bartomeu Escandell, councillor for tourism, Alejandra Ferrer and Marco Marino, the architect in charge of the works. The project entailed rehabilitating the ground floor of the lighthouse and the facade in order to make this great heritage asset suitable for cultural uses, while maintaining and respecting its protection. Jaume Ferrer thanked the president of the APB for attending the event and for the good relationship enjoyed between both institutions that made it possible to formalise the user transfer agreement so that the Formentera Council could take charge of managing the lighthouse. The president of the council explained that the renovation and adaptation work undertaken by the company Tragsa on the Mola Lighthouse, making it into a public cultural facility, had a cost of €796,549.64. Public opening Jaume Ferrer also announced that there will be open days every weekend in February, Saturday and Sunday, from 10:00 to 15:00, so that all Formentera residents and visitors can visit the Mola Lighthouse and see the renovation work carried out. Furthermore, the president of the APB explained that after the creation of automated maritime signals, some spaces, which were lived in by lighthouse keepers, were left unused and that out of all the possible uses, "in the Balearic Islands, we are committed to putting them to civic and general use". As such, Gual de Torrella stated that the intervention of the council has been "excellent and meets the revitalisation goal". Cultural Facility Susana Labrador stated that the museum project for the Mola Lighthouse has been formalised and that only the works were pending, which will be ready for next season. The works have a tender sum of €136,300.60. As a reminder, the councillor stated that on the ground floor of the lighthouse, "a space will be created for an information centre regarding the Mola Lighthouse and other Formentera lighthouses. It will also have information on Formentera's relationship with the sea, fishing and migrations, as well as audiovisual resources that explain the island's maritime history". Furthermore, a multipurpose space has been created for different cultural acts, such as exhibitions, concerts, conferences, small recitals or theatre performances, among others. The outside area, that is, the entrance patio, has also been rehabilitated so it can be used for outdoor cultural and educational acts. A reception, toilets and storage areas have also been created so that the facility can operate appropriately.

THE PORT AUTHORITY OF THE BALEARIC ISLANDS IS TO EXTEND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS FROM THE PROMENADE TO THE HARBOUR STATION AT THE PORT OF ALCUDIA

16/01/2019

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) is to extend the promenade of the Port of Alcúdia to the Harbour Station. It will be done by improving the sections of the streets Teodor Canet and Gabriel Roca that are allocated to public port domain. The individual work projects involved will soon be put out to tender with a budget of 880,843.30 euros. The project entails improving the urbanisation of the streets Teodor Canet and Gabriel Roca at the Port of Alcúdia by widening the pavements for pedestrians to enjoy, improving street furniture and road signalling, and incorporating garden areas and a new drainage and lighting network system that adapts to the current requirements of the new walkway. Another point worthy of mention is the removal of some road traffic lanes, making it into a one-way road to the commercial port, and the construction of a roundabout that will help to direct vehicle traffic between the commercial quays and the Station Harbour. The sea-side of the street will also be used for single lane parking. The total surface area of the urban improvement works is 4,800 square metres and the envisaged completion period is three months. Joint action with the council This action of the APB has been agreed to with the Council of Alcúdia, which will take charge of the urban improvements of the section of Calle Teodor Canet under its control. Reducing the traffic speed in this area, improving the street furniture and cutting vehicle noise are the measures that will be undertaken to improve the tourism offer and the promenade throughout the year. Statements by the president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella.

A LENS LOCATION CHANGE DUE TO IMPROVEMENT WORKS IN THE PERMANENT MARITIME SIGNALLING EXHIBITION AT PORTOPÍ

11/01/2019

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has moved a lens that was located at the Maritime Signalling Exhibition at the PortoPí Lighthouse to a different location due to the improvement works to be undertaken in the exhibition area. The disassembly and assembly works of the lantern have been meticulously carried out by a specialised company. The Valencian company, Mediterráneo Señales Marítimos, was entrusted with moving the Capdepera lighthouse lens, dated 1924, from the first floor to the ground floor of the PortoPí Lighthouse at the Port of Palma. With great care, the specialists manually disassembled the glass and base elements, as well as the clock mechanism, of the lantern that was on show at the exhibition. Extracting the mercury, which was used in these types of lanterns to facilitate the rotation of the lens, as well as to aid the flashing or concealment of the lighthouses' own light, was one of the most critical moments. As the material is of a toxic nature, the specialists used the protective means, such as protective masks, outfits and gloves, required under the law on handling hazardous products. The mercury was subsequently removed by Adalmo, a Mallorcan company authorised to recycle and destroy the product. The elements of the lens were moved to the ground floor using a forklift and reassembled in the new location. This task was carried out in order to be able to undertake the improvement works on the building and in the exhibition area of the lighthouse. The works are expected to commence in mid-January and they should last around two months. During this period, the Maritime Signalling Exhibition at the PortoPí lighthouse will be closed to the public. The works will be undertaken by Sydca XXI Construcciones, S.L., with a budget of 55,491 euros.

THE PORT OF MAHON INSTALLS A DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND A NEW SEWAGE NETWORK FOR DEALING WITH RAIN WATER AND WASTE WATER IN THE DOCKS OF COS NOU

08/01/2019

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has installed a new drainage system for rain water in the boatyard and a new drainage system for waste water in the Cos Nou docks of the Port of Mahon. The aim of these is to prevent pollution of the environment due to contaminants being washed away by water. In the boatyard (Colarsega area), the APB has an esplanade of about 17,500 square metres, dedicated to winter storing and repair of recreational vessels, where different work with paints, oils and solvents, among other products, is carried out. To prevent these products from reaching the sea when the rain washes them away, the APB has built a new drainage system to contain and treat the waters which flow off this surface. This means that this water can be treated and returned once again to the sea when it meets the set parameters. The company responsible for the work is Servicios Profesionales Marinos, S.L., with an assigned budget of € 277,946. In addition, work has also been performed to install a new network for waste water in the Cos Nou docks. Currently, these docks have different tanks which are periodically emptied by tank trucks. At these two docks, the sanitation water from the Maritime Station, the dockers’ offices, the warehouse and the projected Cos Nou boatyard will be collected by this water network and pumped to a sewage hole located at the Colarsega dock. The adjudication budget for this new network for waste water is € 204,930 awarded to the company M Polo, S.L. These two projects for the treatment of rain water and waste water fall under the environmental policy of the public body which is committed to conserving and protecting the natural resources and environment.