News APB | Ports de Balears

The first of eighteen caissons being fabricated for the expansion the Poniente docks arrives at the port of Palma

09/09/2011

The Balearic Islands Port Authority has, since this morning, the first of the eighteen caissons that are being built for the expansion of the Poniente docks. The expansion will provide berthing for cruise ships of great length. At about half past ten in the morning the tug, Silveira Charuca, docked at Dique del Oeste dock in the port of Palma. It had departed on Wednesday at half past one from the port of Sagunto carrying the piece which is to be submerged early next week. The caisson, 30 meters long by 15 meters wide by 16.5 meters high, was built during the month of August at the port of Sagunto, Valencia, by the company Cyes. It was designed using 1,692.50 cubic meters of concrete and more than 140,000 kilograms of steel. Cyes has built nine of the eighteen boxes that are to form the new pier, while the company SATO-OHL will be responsible for the construction of the remaining nine, also in the port of Sagunto. It is expected that by the end of this year all the caissons will be constructed. The pieces will be placed on a foundation of boulders previously formed on the seabed of the port of Palma. The extension of the Poniente docks in the port of Palma is intended to adapt to new trends in maritime traffic and provide simultaneous berthing for vessels of over three hundred meters in length. The extension consists of eighteen rectangular concrete caissons, separated so as to allow water to circulate through them. This is a major environmental improvement as it allows the continual renewal of water within the inner dock of the harbor. The separation between caissons is maintained by a reinforced concrete slab that will shape the future thirty meter wide pier. This work will result in land reclamation of 12,643 square meters from the sea, a prolongation of the existing Poniente dock by about fifty meters and the creation of two new berthing lines of approximately 360 meters in length.

The APB acquires two hybrid cars for the police in the port of Palma

09/08/2011

The APB has purchased two hybrid vehicles operating in the police station of Palma. These are two hybrid cars, technology lighter, compact and efficient, equipped with electric mode and conventional, with combined output of 98 HP and combined consumption of 4.6 liters per 100 kilometers. Vehicles, Honda Insight model and have already been put into service, have CO2 emissions to the atmosphere of 105 grams perkilometer and are equipped with complete equipment for police service. The acquisition of these new cars is included in the ABS policy to promote environmental protection by replacing existing motor vehicles with hybrid and other low power consumption. The cost of this investment has led to the Port Authority an expenditure of 44,074.70 euros, excluding VAT.

The APB updates the PEI of the five ports of general interest that manages Islands

05/08/2011

The APB is re-establishing the Emergency Plans (IEP) of the five ports of general interest that runs in the Islands. The updated plans are being made with the collaboration of all stakeholders and conducting emergency drills in each of the ports. The PEI is a set of specific actions to perform in emergencies at port facilities and is specific for each of the ports, which considers the peculiarities of these. The renewal of the protocols for emergency action has had numerous contacts and training sessions with stakeholders. In the preliminary investigation and sharing of information have been involved, in addition to its own staff of the APB, the Directorate General of Govern d´Emergències de les Illes Balears, Palma firefighters and the Consells of Mallorca, Menorca, Eivissa and Formentera, Civil Guard, National Police, local police de Palma, Mahon Alcudia, Ibiza and Formentera, the 061, Harbour Master of Palma, Eivissa, Menorca district maritime, mooring, dock, practical, marpols, consignees, shippers and dealers in every port. The update of the PEI have also had the drills of accidents with dangerous goods in each of the ports, except in Alcudia, which is scheduled to take place next autumn. In these simulations have been performed with the latest facilities and technologies implemented by the ABS, such as closed circuit television and videoconferencing systems have allowed the monitoring operations from the port of Palma, in direct contact with the new control centers and crisis rooms created in each of the ports. For the relocation of PEI, the APB has received technical assistance from the company i Tissaire Associates, with extensive experience in the implementation of emergency plans in ports such as Barcelona and Tarragona, among others.

José María Urrutia Mera takes office as President of the Balearic Islands Port Authority

03/08/2011

On this day it has been published, in the Official State Bulletin, the appointment by Ministry of Public Order of José María Urrutia Mera as the new chairman of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), replacing Francesc Triay, who ceases to hold office. He was born in El Ferrol in 1954. Married with one daughter, Urrutia is Captain in the Navy and has extensive professional experience. In 2008 he was appointed Commander of the Marine Sector of the Balearic Islands and the Shipmaster of Palma, a position he held until July 2011, on which date he passed to Reserve status. During his long professional career, the new president of the APB has held various appointments on land, on the Military Staff Comittee of Maritime Zone of the Canary Islands, in the Communications Section of the Tactics Division of the Military Staff Comittee of the Navy, in the NATO Headquarters in Southern Europe (AFSOUTH HQ), in the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Defense and at the Maritime Command Headquarters of NATO in the Mediterranean, where he was Chief of the CIS between 2005 and 2008. As a specialist in communications systems and submarines, he was also assigned to various ships like the destroyer Marquis Ensenada the minesweeper Tajo submarines like Isaac Peral, Narwhal, Siroco Tonina the training ship Juan Sebastian Elcano, as professor and communications officer and the patrol vessel Infanta Elena, where he was Chief Operations and Tactics Officer. He was also Commander of the patrol vessel Mouro and Deputy Commander and Acting Commander of the oil tanker Marques de la Ensenada. In addition, José María Urrutia was the Spanish representative for several group assignments for NATO between 1996 and 2008 and has been honored with several awards and honorable mentions for his work.

Ibiza to have a new modern passenger terminal

07/06/2011

The new station at the port of Ibiza projected by the APB on the docks of Botafoc aims to resolve the deficiencies in existing space, safety and comfort. With a budget of close to EUR 25 million, the building will consist of three distinct modules. It will be built on an area of12,500 square meters distributed over two floors and a terrace. About one million passengers are expected to pass every year through their facilities. The project takes into account environmental measures in order to achieve a rational use of energy, and is designed to include accessibility criteria. From the terrace there you can admire the old town of Ibiza, declared a World Heritage by UNESCO.Embarking and disembarking will take place via two fixed bridges connecting the station to the ships. There will be a pre-boarding area for heavy vehicles separate from the car park. It will also have a public bus stop and a temporary car park for tourists. Inside the building, the lobby will house all passenger services such as information on arrivals and departures, car rental offices, ticket sales and a modern baggage check service. Located on the second floor are the shops, cafes and restaurants.

The APB promotes the ports of Alcudia and Maó in Greece

04/06/2011

The Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) participated from the 1st to 4th June in the 38th edition of the Seatrade Medcruise Convention. The general assembly of this organization, which is dedicated exclusively to market cruises in the Mediterranean, was held at the Greek port of Piraeus. The leaders of the APB went with the aim of promoting the Balearic Islands as a cruise destination for the forthcoming seasons, in particular, the ports of Alcudia and Maó for cruise ships of medium length. At the meeting Medcruise contacts were made with half a dozen of the most important carriers in the world and although no specific agreements were closed, the impression was very positive. Medcruise, of which the APB is one of its senior partners, is a private body which represents the cruise ports of the Mediterranean and its annual meeting is attended by the most important companies related to this type of tourism.

The Battery of Dique del Oeste Dock will have a cafeteria

02/06/2011

The APB has put out to tender the operation of two leisure facilities in the port of Palma. The first is a cafe and tourist information point in the old San Carlos Battery located in the Dique de Oeste dock, which has recently been restored by the APB. This initiative aims to provide a new urban space, open to both citizens and passengers of cruise ships, to admire the views of the Bay of Palma from a location previously inaccessible to the public. The other proposal concerns what is known as Bar Varadero, located at the beginning of the Commercial Docks, whose concession has just ended. The objective of the competition is the exploitation, for a period less than fifteen years, of a bar-cafe-restaurant of 411 square meters and for which approximately forty-nine thousand euros are required for annual improvement fees.

The APB increases the draft at the port of Alcúdia

20/05/2011

The APB is carrying out the execution of the works to stabilize the foundation of the springs attached, and the west bank of the port of Alcúdia, which will get a draft of 8.50 meters Dockside throughout the commercial dock. Thus, the APB is committed Alcúdia as a key port for unloading goods in Mallorca. It is recalled that the supply is made Alcúdia cement, coal and liquefied the island. This work complements the work of improving drafts of the port´s commercial docks that ended in April 2007 that affected the entrance channel and the commercial dock. The most suitable alternative for the dredging and strengthening of the sidewalk from the docksis the installation of micro piles and a concrete slab discharge also stresses on micropiles grounded.The completion of the works awarded on a competitive basis to the Ferrovial consortium-Rhodium Kronsa is planned for next October. The budget execution of the work amounts to little more than ten million euros.

The APB announces the II Painting and Photography Contest of the ports of Palma and Alcudia

16/05/2011

The APB has announced the II Painting and Photography Competition. This edition of the contest is dedicated to the ports of Palma and Alcudia and is in collaboration with the Circulo de Bellas Artes (Circle of Fine Arts) of Palma de Mallorca and the Center for Military History and Culture of Palma. The competition is open to all artists and photographers who wish to participate, on condition that the subject of the works presented are related to the locations in the ports of Palma and Alcudia and to the programmed departures organized by the APB and the Circulo de Bellas Artes. A total amount of six thousand euros will be distributed over several awards in three categories: watercolor, other pictorial techniques and photography. The Board of Selection and Qualification will consist of a representative from the APB, a representative of from Círculo de Bellas Artes de Palma de Mallorca and several persons of recognized standing in the world of art that will be appointed by the APB at the suggestion of the Círculo de Bellas Artes. The works must be submitted from 17 to 28 October to the headquarters of the APB in Palma. The winning works will be exhibited in an exhibition to be held later this year at the Center for Military History and Culture of Palma (cloister of Santa Margalida). The contest rules are available on www.portsdebalears.com.

The APB presents the docks of Botafoc as model of environmental management

10/05/2011

The APB and the Technical Association of Ports and Coastlines have organized a technical visit today to the work site of the docks of Botafoc in the port of Ibiza, to raise awareness of the environmental measures being adopted throughout the project. The session included several lectures and a tour of the works in situ. The technical seminar exposed the weaknesses currently afflicting the Ibiza port in regards to safety, passenger comfort and traffic, among others, and went on to explain the solutions adopted in the expansion and remodeling inside the port. In addition to the aspects relevant to the execution of the work, special emphasis was given to environmental and archaeological controls. In this sense, they explained in detail the measures taken in the Environmental Monitoring Plan to meet to the requirements of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) issued by the Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs. They also described the actions carried out in the Special Environmental Surveillance Plan for Dredging and Disposal, developed to comply with the requirements provided by UNESCO, with the aim of not affecting the good of "Ibiza, Culture and Biodiversity " declared as a World Heritage Site. The chairman of the APB, Francesc Triay, stated that due to the environmental accusations it has received, the project "has been subject to more demands and, to counter these demands, many environmental actions have been promoted. I believe that in environmental matters and construction management we have reached a standard of excellence. " The Technical Association of Ports and Coastlines is formed by technicians from the departments of engineering and environment from the different port authorities, as well as, from the General Directorate of Coastlines. The fifty members of the association who have visited the port of Ibiza, from various parts of Spain and Cantabria, Andalusia and Galicia, participated in the talks in the morning and visited the work site in the afternoon. The construction of the Botafoc docks, with an esplanade of 63,000 square meters and two quays, 200 meters long and 30 meters wide, will provide a suitable surface for the new terminal for regular passenger ferry traffic and general RoRo cargo, away from the city center and with sufficient guarantees of security. The new ferry terminal building will have high walkways for boarding passengers, loading zones for cargo and vehicles and parking areas. At the same time, this action will permit a total reform of the Ibiza port which includes the new ferry terminal for passengers travelling to the port of La Savina.

The APB created a website about lighthouses in the Balearic Islands

07/05/2011

The APB has created a new website (www.farsdebalears.com) where all information about the 34 lighthouses in the Balearic Islands. Thus, the APB opens your file with the history of lighthouses and lighthouse keepers and displays images and videos of the installations and the "treasures" they contain. The site also offers a virtual tour of the lighthouse Portopí, the third in the world´s oldest active and which is one of the largest collections of pieces related to lighthouses and their history.The president of the institution, Francesc Triay said that "the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands with this website wanted to share the precious heritage, both materialand human film, which revolves around the world of lighthouses in the Balearic Islands.The initiative also seeks an interactivity with the audience, to share his special relationship with the headlights through the network. "For his part, Jorge Martin, head of Projects and Works and acting Director of the APB noted that "technological advances, such as the use of photographs in 360 degree virtual tour of the exhibition Portopí or participation through Facebook or Twitter, we can make available to citizenswho want the treasure to keep the headlights of our community. This is an unprecedented project in the international arena regarding the disclosure ofheadlamps referred to."

On Saturday the first of the caissons for the Botafoc docks arrive from Cartagena

28/04/2011

The Balearic Islands Port Authority is anticipating the arrival, on Saturday afternoon at the port of Ibiza, of the first of the eleven caissons which are being built for the future Botafoc docks. At six-thirty pm on Friday, the tugboat A. Gaudi, sailed from the port of Cartagena carrying the piece which will be moored at the beginning of next week. The caisson, which is 41.7m long, 15´27m wide and has a depth of 17.5m and which is called Clementina, was manufactured during the month of April at the port in Murcia by the company Agronauta, a subsidiary of Ferrovial. The piece is constructed of 2,031.39 square meters of concrete and 173,162 kilograms of steel. In the port of Cartagena, Ferrovial will build six of the eleven caissons that will form the border of the Botafoc docks, while the company Cyes is responsible for the construction of the remaining five at the port of Sagunto. It is expected that by the end of May all the caissons will be completed. The blocks will be anchored with landfill and positioned on the foundation, built during the month of February. The construction of the Botafoc docks, with an esplanade of 63,000 square meters and two jetties, 200m long by 30m wide, will provide an appropriate surface for the new terminal for passenger traffic and general RoRo cargo, away from the city center and with adequate security guarantees. In this area a new passenger terminal is projected, with elevated walkways for passenger boarding and designated zones for loading cargo and vehicles, as well as for parking. Likewise, this action will make possible an overall reform of the port of Ibiza, which is looking forward to a new ferry terminal for passengers traveling to the port of La Savina.