News APB | Ports de Balears

The APB and UIB hold the first meeting to launch the study on the state of posidonia oceanica in the ports

24/04/2017

The President of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), Joan Gual de Torrella, this morning held the first meeting with the vice-chancellor of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Jordi LLabrés, and the team who will perform the study on the state of the posidonia oceanica in the waters of the Balearic Island ports of general interest. This study aims to locate the posidonia oceanica found on the seabed of the waters in Zone II of the ports, assess its state and, if there are areas found to be in poor condition, analyse the causes with scientific rigour. The work dynamics of the project were set during the meeting, along with its priorities and the relevance of this study in order to find out to what extent port activity affects the posidonia oceanica. In March, Gual de Torrella, in response to the request from the Mediterranean Sailors Association (ADN), commissioned the UIB to conduct a study to analyse the state of the posidonia oceanica in the external waters (Zone II) of the ports its manages, and also the factors that can affect its proper conservation. This study aims to find out, in the most documented and thorough manner possible, the state of the situation and what action is required to protect the seabed.

APB to attend Smart Island Congress

20/04/2017

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands is attending the Smart Island Congress kicking off today in Calvià, which will see the entire technology community assemble for two days in this tourist hotspot of the island. The Congress has been organised by Fira de Barcelona and sponsored by the Government of the Balearic Islands, the Mallorca Island Council, the Municipal Council of Calvià and the APB, among others, with the aim of consolidating the islands' status as innovative tourist destinations, not only in terms of technology but also the environment, energy efficiency and sustainability. More than 70 cities around the world are invited and the event is expecting to welcome close to 1,500 attendees. Cutting-edge technology stands, workshops, talks led by prominent figures including the former Spanish Prime Minister, José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero global strategist, Parag Khanna or politician, Anote Tong, are several appealing components of the Congress. Among other projects, the APB stand will showcase its website, its Port Innovation Platform, the Smart Port App and an emergency device known as Emergency QR Project. APB's participation at Smart Island marks another step forward in their commitment to achieving innovation and energy efficiency at their ports.

Marina Ibiza begins operation to remove fencing around its facilities in the Port of Ibiza

12/04/2017

On 18th April, at the request of the agreement reached between Ibiza City Council, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) and the company Servicios Marítimos Port d‘Eivissa SL, Marina Ibiza will begin the operation to remove the fencing separating its facilities in the port from the Paseo Joan Carles I. The agreement between the three organisations was reached in December 2016 within the framework of the negotiation on the extension of Marina Ibiza's concession term in the Port of Ibiza. The company reached an agreement regarding all of the improvements to be carried out, continuing with the shared line of work established by the APB and Ibiza City Council at the beginning of this parliamentary term. The removal of the Marina Ibiza fencing represents a step towards the mutual agreement to turn the Port of Ibiza into an accessible area, more geared for pedestrians and intended for the benefit of citizens.

The APB orders the administrative eviction of Nassau Beach

06/04/2017

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) yesterday ordered the administrative eviction of Insula Avantia SL in order for it to immediately cease occupancy of the bar-restaurant known as Nassau Beach in the public port domain found in the Troneras area of Portitxol in the Port of Palma. A space that is being unduly occupied and has not had an operating licence since December 2016. The eviction must take place within a maximum of three days from when the APB notifies the company. The Board of Directors has conferred the power to request the intervention of State Security Forces and Agencies, if necessary, upon the President of the APB, and also to request authorisation to enter the Troneras area before the Court for Contentious-Administrative Proceedings. In October 2014, the license granted to Insula Avantia for the use of the facilities commercially exploited as Nassau Beach came to an end. Since then, the use of this space was allowed by means of the relevant authorisations granted by the APB. Once this period ended last December —having notified the company Insula Avantia—, the sanctioning procedure for occupying a public domain without authorisation was initiated on 1 February. After the arguments submitted by the company, the Board of Directors decided to dismiss them and proceed with the administrative eviction.

The APB uses application awarded third prize by the European Commission

04/04/2017

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) is using the electronic application of the Government of the Balearic Islands which recently received third prize from the European Commission for the best reuse of a regional technological solution. The application in question, known as REGWEB, which is used to manage entry and exit logs in the public administrations, received a certificate of excellence and recognition as one of the best proposals out of the 118 that were entered in this category. The benefits of the app include the possibility to digitalise documentation as soon as it enters the administration and electronic management of these documents. Developed by the Bit Foundation and funded by the Directorate-General of Technological Development and the Directorate-General of Participation and Transparency of the Government, REGWEB is used by 14 public administrations on the Islands, among which is the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands.

UIB to carry out a study for the APB on the state of the posidonia oceanica in the water surrounding its ports

31/03/2017

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will ask the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) to conduct a study on the state of the posidonia oceanica in the external waters (Zone II) of the ports its manages, and also on the factors that can affect its proper maintenance and the protection of biodiversity. This request comes in response to that made by the Mediterranean Sailors Association (ADN) to the organisation's president, Joan Gual de Torrella, to make the UIB aware that they would like to know the current state of the seabed and the extent to which anchorage and recreational sailing in general affect the posidonia. Today, Gual met with the president of the association, Gabriel Dols Mateu, and informed him that the request will be submitted to the UIB to evaluate the state of the area in the most documented and thorough manner possible and to study the action that is required to protect the seabed, pursuant to the framework partnership agreement between both.

The APB presents the STP dry dock model to Minorcan government delegation

29/03/2017

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) this morning led a Minorcan government delegation on a visit to the dry dock facilities run by the company Servicios Técnicos Portuarios (STP) at the Port of Palma. The purpose of the visit is to demonstrate that the vessel repair and maintenance service model implemented by the Minorcan nautical sector in Palma can be successfully rolled out at the Port of Mahon. The visit was attended by the Mayoress of Mahon, Conxa Juanola the Mayor of Es Castell, Lluís Camps the Minister of Labour, Trade and Industry, Iago Neguereuela the Minister of Land and Tourism Planning of the Minorca Island Council, Susana Mora the Chairman of ASMEN, Justo Saura, the Director of the Centre de la Mar, José María Cardona, as well as the President and Director of GOB, Jaume Obrador and Miguel Camps, respectively, among others. Engaging in this industrial activity is one of the commitments undertaken and outlined in the Port of Mahon's Plan of Action, which promotes the APB alongside the councils of Mahon and Es Castell. The President of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, believes that this management model facilitates engagement and fosters competitiveness among companies, and provides job opportunities for a constantly growing local market. One of STP's keys to success, according to its managing director, José María Campuzano, is the open nature of the model allowing 500 registered and certified companies to offer their services to shipowners and compete among themselves. This secures greater performance and quality of work. The Minister of Labour, Trade and Industry, Iago Negueruela, pointed out that the Government of the Balearic Islands is committed to implementing dual vocational training with close collaboration from the companies and that the sailing sector will be first to witness this type of two-pronged training offered to young people. The Mayoress of Mahon, Conxa Juanola, believes that "differences of dimensions aside", this investment could enable the Port of Mahon to recover the activity it once had whilst respecting the environment, a "fundamental issue for us" - she highlighted. The ports managed by the APB are benchmarks in terms of repair and maintenance services of vessels in the west of the Mediterranean. There have been 145,000 m2 of the port area allocated to this activity, half at the Port of Palma. They are able to offer comprehensive, modern and premium services to vessels measuring up to 120 metres in length. It is estimated that the sector will provide jobs to 2,300 qualified and multilingual professionals and will have an annual economic yield of 452 million euros.

PortsIB, the Port Authority and the Ciutadella and Mahon city councils meet to coordinate activity in the two ports

27/03/2017

The Minister of Territory, Energy and Mobility, Marc Pons, the Vice-President of the Council of Menorca, Susana Mora, the President of the Port Authority, Joan Gual, the mayoress of Mahon, Conxa Juanola, and the mayoress of Ciutadella, Joana Gomila, all held a meeting to coordinate activity in the two ports. Today marked the first meeting to analyse different strategies aimed at maintaining a smooth and coordinated relationship so that all of the authorities can provide the best possible service at all times. Among other issues, operational and safety matters were generally discussed, as well as others relating to port pilot activity. In order for these types of gatherings to continue, it has been decided that quarterly meetings will be held.

Adaptation works get underway on the passenger dock at the Port of La Savina

27/03/2017

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has started the adaptation and improvement works on the passenger dock pavement at the Port of La Savina. The project, awarded to the company MAB, consists of paving the entire dock attached to the breakwater and the boarding, passenger drop-off and ro-ro cargo areas. To prevent the build-up of water, drainage systems will be installed. The dock wall edges and the ro-ro ramps will also be adapted. This work is being undertaken in accordance with the requirements for obtaining the ISO 14001 quality seal, which was recently awarded to the APB. The works are carried out during the night so as not to interfere with the port passenger operation. The works are expected to finish at the end of April and the contract budget amounts to 338,000 euros. As these works get underway, MAB is also undertaking an adaptation project on a controlled area at the Port of La Savina, which has a budget of 122,000 euros and comprises the installation of a fenced enclosure, a marquee for a passenger waiting area and an access control checkpoint. These measures have been taken at the request of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to comply with the ISPS code (International Ship and Port Facility Security). It is estimated that these two projects will create forty direct jobs. Another improvement project that is to commence in the near future at the Port of Formentera, managed by APB, is the paving of the sea wall and the fisherman's wharf. The tender process for this works project, which has a budget of 150,408.50 euros, is to be published today (27 March) in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

The APB exhibits the works of the 7th Painting and Photography Contest on lighthouses and ports in Mahon

22/03/2017

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will, as of tomorrow and until 1st April, exhibit the winning art pieces and those of the residents of Menorca who took part in the Painting and Photography Contest. The contest, now in its seventh edition, has a high level of convening power, with over 300 works entered from all of the islands. The challenge consisted of depicting one of the ports of general interest in the Balearic Islands or one of their lighthouses. Among the winning works is one of the Port of Mahon which, more specifically, was awarded first prize in the category of Other Painting Techniques, entitled Fundido en Naranja by Pedro Villota, as well as the honorary mention in photography awarded to the Favàritx lighthouse as the focal point of the piece entitled Reflexe d’un passat, present i futur, by Encarnación Morales. The works are divided into three categories: Watercolour, Other Painting Techniques and Photography. Out of those that entered last October, one hundred works were short-listed and exhibited in Palma at Christmas, with a warm welcome from the public. As of tomorrow, the twelve winning art pieces will be on display at the CaixaBank exhibition hall in Mahon, along with those that entered the contest in Mahon. The exhibition will be open to the public from 22nd March to 1st April, Monday to Saturday from 10.30am to 2pm and 5pm to 8pm. Places with art For the seventh consecutive year, the APB has sponsored this competition dedicated to the lighthouses of the Balearic Islands and to the ports of general interest of Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza and La Savina, with the aim of capturing, by means of visual art, the popular interest that is aroused by places as ordinary and unique as ports and lighthouses.

Ordinance approved to regulate the maritime speed at the Port of Ibiza

22/03/2017

The Spanish Official State Gazette (BOE) has published the port ordinance approved by the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), which establishes the regulation regarding the maximum sailing speeds in the waters of the Port of Ibiza. The document sets out the rules for sailing and maritime safety that ships and vessels at the Port of Ibiza must obey. The scope of the regulation concerns Zone I, which includes Botafoc dock and the Interior dock. The maximum sailing speed in the Botafoc dock area for any type of ship or vessel is set at 8 knots, or the minimum cruising speed depending on the case. For the Interior dock area, the maximum sailing speed is set at 6 knots or the minimum cruising speed depending on the case. Ships and vessels cannot sail at speeds that create waves which may cause harm to third parties or lead to dangerous situations.

The APB presents, in Florida, the new developments of its ports to offer companies a better service

15/03/2017

The APB is using the occasion of its attendance at the Seatrade Cruise Global event to inform companies that already know the destination regarding the biggest recent developments at its ports, so that they are aware of the new infrastructure and improvements that have been implemented in this last year. The cruise industry's premier global event is an excellent occasion to keep up-to-date and show that the Balearic Islands are an established destination. Therefore, the president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella and his team informed the target companies of the product of the improvements that were carried out in 2016 and the future projects for the islands' ports of general interest in order to ensure user safety and comfort. The Port of Palma, for example, thanks to the new Harbour Station no. 6 and the refurbishment of the esplanade of the Poniente Dock, will soon have facilities designed to make it the home port for large cruise ships and to increase stopovers in low season. The Port of Ibiza has also been getting ready for the large ships. In addition, Ibiza offers a unique product including long stays so that passengers can enjoy the Ibiza nightlife and take advantage of the ferry across to the island of Formentera. The Port of Mahon is also positioning itself as an 'exclusive port', promoting itself together with other ports of the same characteristics. The aim is to attract small and medium-sized luxury ships carrying passengers who are curious about what the host towns and cities have to offer in terms of culture and heritage. The Port of Alcudia, with a modern passenger terminal, is promoted in the same way, and not only are stopovers increasing but shipping companies are coming back time and again, which shows the confidence in the destination and the service offered by the APB.