News APB | Ports de Balears

The APB participates in a photo competition of European ports on the occasion of the European Maritime Day

22/04/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority has joined the #MyPortForTurku campaign, a photo competition organised by the European Commission to commemorate the European Maritime Day, which will be celebrated from the 18th to the 22nd of May. The host port of this year's European day is Turku's Port, one of the oldest ports in Finland. The competition aims at making known the 3.000 European ports that connect the continent today by involving the society in this initiative. Citizens can participate in the contest by sending photos of their favourite European ports. The APB has decided to join this campaign because it is a good way of making known the Balearic ports in Europe, while contributing to the rapprochement of the ports and of the institution to the citizens. The APB collaborates in this edition with the donation of promotional material of the ports of the islands, which will be part of the prizes awarded to the competition's winners. All those interested can participate in this contest until the next Monday 25th of April, sharing a maximum of three photos through their Twitter, Instagram or Facebook accounts and sending the link of the publication to the following e-mail: mare-communication@ec.europa.eu.The images may also be sent directly to the same e-mail. Together with the photos, participants have to send the name of the port, the country and the tag #MyPortForTurku. For example: "Palma's Port, Spain, #MyPortForTurku". All the submitted photos will be published in an interactive map on the competition's website. Thus, the APB invites all the participants to locate their favourite port on the map. The best 50 photos will be awarded. The winners may win prizes, as well as participate with the awarded photo in the exhibitions that will be held in Turku's Port and in other European ports.

Cruise tourism in the spotlight at a professional conference in Palma

19/04/2016

Cruise tourism and its strategic consequences will be analysed at a high-class conference to be held in Palma the next 12th of May and organised by the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB). The conference will be attended by the main representatives of the CLIA Europe —the main association of cruise ships in the world— and by representatives of the Balearic institutions, of both the Government of the Balearic Islands and of business and tourism sectors such as Majorca's Chamber of Commerce or Fundación Palma 365. The main aim of this conference is to analyse the evolution of cruise tourism and its positive impact on the destinations, especially regarding job creation, infrastructure development, economic development, promotion of the destination, etc. However, the debate will also centre on the possible negative or undesirable effects of the growing arrival of cruise ships to the islands, from waste management to the congestion of the historic centres or the visual impact generated by vessels. The main objective of the APB is to consolidate a sustainable development of cruise ship traffic in order to get a global benefit for the islands in the mid and long term.

The largest cruise ship to date will arrive at Maó's Port in April

13/04/2016

Maó's Port will receive the next 25th of April the largest cruise ship to date in Minorca, the MSC Armonia, of 276 metres of length, which transports almost 2.000 passengers. Thus, the news received by the managers of the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) at the international fair of cruise ships, Seatrade Global, in Florida, has been confirmed. The arrival of such a long ship has been possible thanks to the improvement works of the port conducted by the APB, which include the elimination of the ro-ro ramp of the Cruise Dock (before the Passengers Dock) and the dredging done in 2014. Besides, in order to guarantee the security of the port and the manoeuvrability of the ship, tests have been done with a simulator at the Centro de Seguridad Marítima Integral Jovellanos of Gijón, in which the captain of the MSC Armonia himself has participated. For all these reasons the berthing of this large ship has been approved by the pilots of Maó's port and the Maritime Authority. The ship's arrival is scheduled for 7 a.m. and its departure will be at 3 p.m. According to forecasts, the MSC Armonia will visit Minorca in 11 occasions, so this ship will bring to the island more than 21.000 people throughout the cruise season.

The APB promotes the improvement of training in the nautical sector

13/04/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has held a business meeting in Palma's offices to discuss the training options offered by the Employment Service of the Balearic Islands (SOIB) in the nautical sector. They are specific specialties designed to improve the human capital in a sector as strategically important for the Balearic Islands as the nautical, especially considering the growth potential it represents. The meeting, organised by the president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, has been presided over by the Minister of Labour, Commerce and Industry, Iago Negueruela, and it has been attended by the general manager of Employment and Economy, Llorenç Pou, and by representatives of nautical companies and business associations. During the meeting, the minister Negueruela has presented the training programme designed to promote the hiring of unemployed young people and included in the Strategy of the Professional Training for the Employment of the Balearic Islands, agreed with the economic and social agents of the Balearic Islands. Negueruela has thanked Gual de Torrella for the APB's commitment in organising these business meetings, which contribute to the strengthening of the nautical industry in the Balearic Islands.

Ramon Llull Conference 2030: the seafront of the future

12/04/2016

The first Ramon Llull Conference 2030 will be held the next 13th, 14th and 15th of April 2016 at the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce of Majorca. The main aim of this conference is to discuss ideas and come to the necessary agreements in order to make Palma's seafront an urban district of scientific development and a spotlight of talent which becomes the backbone of a new economy of the Balearic Islands based on knowledge. The president of the Balearic Islands' Port Authority, Joan Gual de Torrella, will be one of the persons in charge of inaugurating the conference, together with Palma's mayor, José Hila the vice president of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Biel Barceló the deputy of Urbanism of Palma's city council, Antoni Noguera the dean of the University of the Balearic Islands, Llorenç Huguet the chairwoman of the Official Association of Architects of the Balearic Islands, Marta Vall-Llossera the general manager of Endesa-Baleares, Ernest Bonnín and the vice president of the Chamber of Commerce of Majorca, Álvaro Middelman. At Palma's seafront we find four nerve centres of the city, of the island and also of the Balearic archipelago. The Moll Vell, the GESA building, the Conference Palace and Nou Llevant neighbourhood are four challenges that may have an agreed solution: to devote one of the most relevant areas of the Balearic Islands to science and technology, to culture and knowledge. With this aim in mind, the conference has been divided into five parts: a conceptual framework which will allow for the understanding of the origin and importance of Ramon Llull Territory 2030, as well as of the innovative concepts surrounding it and four thematic sections about different initiatives (PGOU, model port/city, Nou Llevant and Conference Palace and GESA building). The conference aims at opening up discussions about innovative initiatives at Ramon Llull Territory 2030, and at incorporating the model of smart city in Palma through the use of strategies of smart tourism. The first Ramon Llull Conference 2030 has been organised by the University of the Balearic Islands in collaboration with a committee of experts formed by members of the Chamber of Commerce of Majorca, the Balearic Islands' Port Authority, the Official Association of Architects of the Balearic Islands, Endesa and Palma's city council, with the support of Cátedra Santander UIB of Innovation and Transfer of Knowledge. The conference has been sponsored by the Regional Ministry of Innovation, Research and Tourism and by FEDER.

The APB will agree on the design of Botafoc maritime station

09/04/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) will agree on the design of the future Botafoc maritime station at Ibiza's Port, in collaboration with a technical committee formed by the city council, the business association of maritime activities APEAM and the professional associations of architects and engineers of roads, canals and ports. This was agreed at the tender of the technical assistance contract for the wording of the basic project and of the construction project of the building, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE), in its edition of the 19th of March. This technical committee will participate in the election of the best proposal. Then, the APB will commission the construction project of the maritime station to the tender's winner. The project will include the improvements designed by the technical committee, with the aim of getting an agreement in the design of the maritime station, not only regarding its integration in the port and in Ibiza, but also regarding those aspects related to the needs of the passengers, the ships and other companies providing services. Once the wording of the construction project of Botafoc maritime station finishes, the APB will open a tender process for the construction works and for the station's indirect management. The base tender budget for technical assistance is of 230.000 euros (taxes included) and the deadline for the presentation of offers is the 20th of April 2016.

The firm YSM Marinas will manage the large ships at Ibiza's Port.

07/04/2016

The Board of Directors of the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB), which met the 6th of April, has chosen the firm YSM Marinas y Puertos de España as the lowest bid to manage the moorings for large ships in the eastern dock of Ibiza's Port and the future service building of Es Martell. The management period will be of seven years. The firm's offer for this tender has been of 5.325.057 euros of investment and the commitment to pay an occupancy and activity fee of 1.933.677 euros every year.

Sercomisa will manage the maritime station of Savina's Port

07/04/2016

The firm Servicios y Concesiones Marítimas Ibicencas (SERCOMISA) has been chosen as the lowest bid to manage the establishments and offices of the maritime station and of two buildings of Savina's Port in Formentera. The management period will be of 11 years, with a budget of 713.944 euros of investment. The annual fee offered by the firm is of 141.538 euros.

Alcudiamar extends the deadline for its concession

07/04/2016

The Board of Directors of the Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has approved the extension of the deadline for the concession of Alcudia's tourist port and marina to the firm Alcudiamar. The extension is for 12 years more, until 2030, so the concession will be valid for 42 years. Alcudiamar is committed to making an investment of 21.773.185 euros in this period and to pay an annual fee of 2.712.000 euros. Besides, it will contribute with 600.000 euros to the State Fund of Port Connectivity, through which the Spanish ports of general interest fund road and railway networking projects outside their service area. These projects are necessary to provide the ports’ facilities with the adequate accessibility and to boost their competitiveness.

The APB will terminate the contract with Isolux due to failure to fulfil the works of Es Martell

05/04/2016

The Balearic Islands' Port Authority (APB) has started the proceedings to terminate the contract with the firm Isolux Corsán, in charge of the works of Es Martell, at Ibiza's Port, due to breach of contract. The cleaning works of the site and the construction of the foundations of the future building will conclude before summer, once the demolition of the old maritime station finishes. However, the works will not continue, as the contracted firm is failing to fulfil the deadlines and its obligations, not only with the APB but also with subcontractors and suppliers. According to the president of the APB, Joan Gual de Torrella, "Isolux won the contract being the third Spanish firm in public works —we could not expect more solvency—. However, it has entered a difficult asset situation and is now unable to fulfil the contract". In view of this situation, the APB will terminate the contract, suspend the construction until the end of the high summer season and take the appropriate legal actions against the defaulter firm. "They have defaulted on their contract and the APB has to react in order to avoid future inconveniences to Ibiza, and above all, to the neighbourhood of the Marina", Gual de Torrella has stated. For the construction phase of Es Martell building, the APB will open a bidding process whose regulations have already been written, so that the construction of the building can start at the end of the summer season. The APB hopes that more firms participate in the bidding process —also smaller local firms—, as the budget will not be as high due to the fact that the first demolition and foundation works have been finished. The Es Martell building is included in the remodelling project of Ibiza's Port, whose design has been made in collaboration with Vila's city council. In view of this situation, the APB will work to avoid any inconveniences to the neighbours and shopkeepers and to make Vila's Port remodelling a reality as soon as possible, according to plan.

Nao Victoria arrives at Alcudia port for the first time and may be visited

29/03/2016

A Nao Victoria replica, the first ship rounding the world trip for the first time in the last 500 years, arrives in Alcudia from Sète, the French port. The ship will arrive at this Majorcan port, only under favourable weather forecast, next March 30th and will dock at Muelle de las Golondrinas where may be visited from Thursday March 31th until April 3rd from 11 to 20h. Nao Victoria replica is 26 metres length and 7 metres beam, fully wood built and, between 2004 and 2006, it rounded the world trip, calling in 17 different countries. It is the first a ship like this crosses that long. Under Alcudia City Council and Balearic Islands Port Authority’s collaboration, the ship arrives in Mallorca after taking part in a European historic ships’ concentration in Sète (France). Those who are willing to visit the ship, may admire it together with knowing about its history and sailor’s way of life, the ones that occupied it since sixteenth century and also the way of life of those sailors currently occupying it while rounding the world. VISITS: Date: 31th until April 3rd Place: Puerto Deportivo de Alcudiamar, Alcudia port. From 11.00h. to 20.00h. Tickets: adults: 3€ / Children 5 to 10 y.o: 2€ Tickets can be bought at ship’s entrance or at www.naovictoriashop.org

Palma is getting ready to host the world biggest ship cruises as base port

29/03/2016

Palma port is getting ready to be the base port of the world biggest ship cruises, adapting its facilities. Palma is currently acting as base port for mid ship cruises, those starting and finishing the trip in this city, with the subsequent economic benefit for the island. With this aim and with the objective of managing big ship cruises’ passengers arriving and departing, Balearic Islands’ Port Authority will refurbish Maritime Station number 6 at Palma port, works currently under bidding phase. A 360 metres length ship cruise can accommodate up to 7.000 people. The new terminal is necessary for the shipping lines and concessionaire companies to offer a good service to the passengers and also to service companies. Besides, each ship cruise using Palma as base port, duplicates number of passengers in each port call because passengers embark and disembark the same cruise in the same day. As published in Spanish Official Gazette (BOE as per the Spanish initials) March 19th edition, expanding and remodelling works of the maritime station have an initial bidding budget amounted to EUR 19,4 million. The maximum schedule for the contract is 18 months. Interested companies may contact APB contracting department for further information or Public Sector trading platform at www.contrataciondelestado.es Companies opting the public tender must meet the following classifications: C1e (demolition), C3f (metallic structures), I6e (low voltage distribution) and J2e (ventilation, heating and conditioning). Closing date for submission is April 19th 2016 at APB Registration (Moll Vell 3-5, Palma).