Noticias APB | Ports de Balears

The European Union will subsidise 40% of the investment in Cold Ironing in the ports of Palma, Alcúdia, Eivissa and Maó

24/02/2023

The Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda has provisionally approved the subsidy for the Programme to Support Sustainable and Digital Transport on a competitive basis, financed by the European Union - NextGenerationEU, awarded to the port authorities of the Balearic Islands and Barcelona for the implementation of electric land connection systems for ships. This technique, known as cold ironing, is an alternative for ships to turn off their engines and consequently eliminate the noise and their polluting impact while they are moored in port. The commissioning of these facilities in the Balearic Islands is planned for the second half of 2024 and will involve an investment of 12.3 million euros, 40% of which will be financed by the European Union. It will be specifically implemented in the ports of Palma (Paraires and Commercial docks), Alcúdia (Ponent docks), Eivissa (Botafoc docks) and Maó (Cós Nou). The first cold ironing system was installed by the APB at the Paraires quay in the port of Palma, and is prepared to connect to the electricity grid, although not simultaneously, a ferry-type vessel with a maximum power demand of 1,600 kW (medium voltage) and another fast ferry-type vessel with a demand of 800 kW (low voltage). For the on-shore electrical connection, the system has 275 metres of medium voltage underground lines, a transformation centre and a frequency elevating substation in the service area of the port of Palma. Support for institutions In this respect, the support of the local institutions has been unanimous: town councils, island councils and the Government of the Balearic Islands have signed a letter of endorsement that accompanies the initiative, with the conviction that climate neutrality and the will of the ports of general interest of the Balearic Islands to be as respectful as possible of the environment is a common objective. When in port, ships use their auxiliary engines to produce electricity during loading, unloading and mooring operations. Although the amount of emissions produced during the mooring phase is less than during the maritime traffic phase itself, in this case the pollutants emitted directly affect the air quality of the population centres near the port, as well as the port itself. The use of electrical energy from the national grid means a reduction in the emissions produced by the ship, as the emission factor per MWh of the grid’s generators is much lower than that of the ship's auxiliary engines.

Environment and CSR Next Generation UE Technology and innovation Transport and infrastructure

The climate change adaptation plan for the ports of general interest of the Balearic Islands was submitted

24/02/2023

The rise in sea level as a result of climate change may leave some port infrastructures inoperative, such as docks and piers, as well as affect the stability of some docks due to the impact of more frequent storms that cause larger waves. These are some of the conclusions of a study prepared by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and commissioned by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), which presents a plan for adaptation to climate change for ports of general interest in the Balearic Islands, as well as a proposal for measures and adaptation paths to prevent possible risks. Antoni Ginard, head of Planning and Infrastructures of the APB has stressed the willingness of the public body to adapt infrastructures while working to mitigate climate change: 'We must adapt in time to ensure that the ports can continue to fulfil their primary mission, which is the supply of goods and passenger transport'. UPC professors Agustín Sánchez-Arcilla and Joan Pau Sierra presented the adaptation plan for the five ports of general interest in the Balearic Islands and the marinas of Portitxol and es Molinar, in Palma. Two climate scenarios have been considered in the study, one moderate and the other pessimistic. The first assumes that people will increase their awareness of the effects of climate change and active international policies will be adopted in order to reduce emissions. This is the most plausible scenario if some international agreements, such as the Paris Agreement (2015), are implemented. The worst-case scenario may occur if some of the major emitting countries do not adopt aggressive climate change mitigation policies or if actions that accelerate climate change continue. At the same time, these scenarios have been compared with two time variables, one in the short-medium term (2026-2045) and the other in the long term (2081-2100). Conclusions In this context, in the second period up to 2100, it is clear that the problems of inoperability of quays and jetties will increase, as the rise in sea level will be between 50 centimetres and 1 metre, depending on the scenario at that time. It will therefore be necessary to raise the level of some quays, replace fixed jetties with floating ones and increase the frequency of dredging in ports. The docks for pleasure boats will be the most affected in this case, especially the Portitxol (Palma) dock, where the entire breakwater will have to be modified. The rise in sea level, together with the increase in the magnitude of the waves, could also cause damage to the dikes, either displacing the breakwater blocks or compromising the stability of some of them. To do this, different solutions are proposed depending on the type of breakwater, such as the construction of breakwaters, reinforcement of the banks or changing the type and weight of the breakwater blocks. Together with the study of the degree of exposure and level of vulnerability of the ports and the proposal for action in the port infrastructures, a Risk Atlas and a Climate Alert plan have been drawn up for each of the ports studied. Climate adaptation pathways have also been developed, determining the points of no return so that the APB can take decisions that are ahead of the impacts of climate change and ensure that the port infrastructures can continue to be fully operational at all times.

Environment and CSR Port-city Transport and infrastructure

The effects of climate change could leave inoperative some docks or piers of the ports of general interest of the Balearic Islands

24/02/2023

The rise in sea level as a result of climate change may leave some port infrastructures inoperative, such as docks and piers, as well as affect the stability of some docks due to the impact of more frequent storms that cause larger waves. These are some of the conclusions of a study prepared by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and commissioned by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), which presents a plan for adaptation to climate change for ports of general interest in the Balearic Islands, as well as a proposal for measures and adaptation paths to prevent possible risks. The study concludes that the rise in sea level will produce a reduction in the freeboard of the docks and piers where vessels are moored or some services provided to them are located, sometimes to the point of no longer being operational or flooding the mooring structure that is below the waterline. The rise in sea level, together with the increase in the magnitude of the waves, could also cause damage to the dikes, either displacing the breakwater blocks or compromising the stability of some of them. Two climate scenarios have been considered in the study, one moderate and the other pessimistic. The first assumes that people will increase their awareness of the effects of climate change and active international policies will be adopted in order to reduce emissions. This is the most plausible scenario if some international agreements, such as the Paris Agreement (2015), are implemented. The worst-case scenario may occur if some of the major emitting countries do not adopt aggressive climate change mitigation policies or if actions that accelerate climate change continue. At the same time, these scenarios have been compared with two time variables, one in the short-medium term (2026-2045) and the other in the long term (2081-2100). Climate adaptation pathways The study on adaptation to the effects of climate change drafted by the UPC is recognised for its innovation, since it is the first time that a plan involving adaptation pathways of infrastructures in the port areas has been carried out. This required previously determining the degree of exposure and level of vulnerability of the five ports of general interest in the Balearic Islands (Palma, Alcúdia, Maó, Eivissa and La Savina), plus the marinas of es Molinar and es Portitxol, in Palma. Firstly, a proposal for action in port infrastructures had to be made, in order to adapt them to the effects that will occur in the short, medium and long term. Secondly, a Risk Atlas and a Climate Alert Plan have been drawn up for each of the ports studied, and climate adaptation paths developed, determining the points of no return so that the APB can make decisions that anticipate the impacts of climate change and ensure that port infrastructures can continue to be fully operational at all times.

Environment and CSR Port-city Transport and infrastructure

The APB increases by more than 56 thousand square metres the area dedicated to the repair and maintenance of vessels in the port of Palma

24/02/2023

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) approved yesterday, in an ordinary session, a modification of the concession of the technical area for the repair and maintenance of vessels located in the commercial docks of the port of Palma, managed by the Port’s Technical Services (STP), extending its surface area by more than 56,000 square metres, so that the companies in this sector could have more space in which to offer their services. Thus, an additional public domain area of 56,626 square metres, of which 31,993 correspond to land and 24,632 correspond to water, is added to the existing area. In this technical area (open dry dock), more than 400 companies authorised by the APB and 2,000 workers carry out their activities and will benefit from this extension of the surface area. At the same time, a major investment will be made in order to reduce the environmental impact and to comply with the relevant sustainability criteria, so an extension of the concession period of just over two years has been granted to the manager of the open slipway. Consequently, the new end date of the concession will be 31 December 2027. At the same Board meeting, it was agreed to process the application for project competition for a new concession in the adjacent area located in the southwest of the commercial docks, with a total area of 120,000 square metres of land and water, submitted by the company Astilleros de Mallorca.

Environment and CSR Technology and innovation Transport and infrastructure Socio-economic development

Lluc Julià: “Rephotography serves to expose the landscape we have spoiled and to reclaim what we have been able to preserve”

24/02/2023

Lluc Julià Fàbregues (Barcelona, 1969) is a graphic designer specialising in editorial content. Since 2003 she has been capturing the change experienced in the islands over the last century through rephotographs, a technique that consists of repeating a photograph of the same site, with a time lag between images, documenting the past and present of a specific area. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the APB, a collection of rephotographs of the ports and lighthouses of the past and present has been commissioned to go down in history. How did the idea of these rephotographs come about? The idea came from the book Voyage en Inde, a book of rephotography by the Italian Antonio Martinelli based on engravings of Hindu temples from the period of British rule in India. I thought it was a great way to illustrate the state of the heritage of a particular place and space. Later I came across Die Balearen, the work of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, and thought it was a perfect opportunity for me to use rephotography. Not knowing to what extent the engravings are true to life made me unsure at the beginning. However, I soon realised that the archduke's encyclopaedic philosophy reveals the few artistic licences he allowed himself, such as, in some cases, minor modifications of scale and perspective or the addition of a trivial element. Another aspect I value in this project is giving visibility to the archduke's work beyond his character. What do you look for to make such careful compositions? Once you have located the exact place from where the original image was taken, which is not always possible, we must consider three essential elements: perspective, framing and the time of day. We cannot always count on all three, but the closer you get, the better the result. How do you go about locating the spaces? First of all, I try to locate them from home using Google Maps. This is a first filter that allows me to see possibilities and discard impossible or very complicated rephotographs. At this point it is also important to determine whether the original image is taken in the morning or at dusk, so that I can go at a time when the light is as close as possible to that of the original. With this preliminary task you can tackle the fieldwork with a lot of work done and a better chance of success. However, I have had to go to most of the locations more than once, either because of a mistake with the perspective, with the time of day or because of bad weather, which also happens quite often... You started to rephotograph the islands on the basis of the Die Balearen engravings and now based on old photographs for the APB. What has surprised you most about what you have learned? There are many aspects that you already expect when you compare the present and the future, such as urban growth. On the other hand, what has surprised me most is how the vegetation has gained ground. Both the archduke's engravings and the old photos show bare islands with practically no vegetation. I haven’t been able to capture many of the landscapes of Die Balearen because the vegetation has prevented me from accessing the exact spot or has completely blocked my view. In general, have the landscapes improved or worsened? These projects serve to expose the landscape that we have spoiled and to reclaim what we have been able to preserve. This can also be applied to architectural heritage. What motivates me about photography is being able to create tools to raise awareness, in an attractive, understandable and even playful way, of the impact the human footprint has on the environment itself, especially on the natural and cultural heritage of the Balearic Islands. A place that moves you. I couldn't pinpoint a specific place from those I have rephotographed that particularly moves me. What I can describe is an exciting moment: When I find the exact place from where the original image was taken and I think of the person who was there 100 years ago or more, capturing it from the same place. This kind of project is made possible by technology. Will electronic devices replace paper? Are you an ebook or a book person? Technology helps a lot in this type of project and it is admirable how such an incredible work of art as Die Balearen could be done with the technical means of the time. There is no doubt that today's technology gives us the opportunity to reveal our work to a lot of people with very little effort. I personally believe that electronic devices and paper are complementary to one another. In many ways mobiles have replaced paper, but I don't think they will make it disappear. I read both ebooks and physical books, but I prefer the latter. I am a graphic designer specialising in editorial and content design and I like to have a well-edited book in my hands. In this case, for example, the ebook has many limitations.

150th anniversary Port-city

The exhibition 'Ports d’un temps' (Ports of a time) shows port life through old photographs

14/10/2022

From 14 October to 5 January, the institutional headquarters of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will be hosting the exhibition Ports d’un temps (Ports of a time), jointly organised by Fotos Antiguas de Mallorca (FAM) and the APB, as part of the celebration of the institution’s 150th anniversary. The intention is to look into the past to take us on an emotional journey to many places in the ports of general interest in the Balearic Islands. The journey unfolds through the eyes of the protagonists who lived through those times and who left a great cultural legacy so that we can enjoy those moments today. Along this journey we will be able to visit emblematic neighbourhoods like the Jonquet, the Old Quay, Dalt Vila, etc. We will also be able to learn about the customs and habits of the people who lived there and who in some way are the precursors of today’s society. This exhibition has obtained photographs from the Historical Archive of the APB and the photographic collection provided by FAM, which is made up of four photographers who were the protagonists of this journey: Bartolomé Reus Bordoy, Antonio Llodrá, Melchor Guardia and the Sastre Palmer family. EXHIBITION OPENING HOURS Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday: From 10:00 to 15:00 Friday: From 14:00 to 19:00 Sunday: From 11:00 to 14:00

150th anniversary Port-city

The new water surface cleaning service in the ports of Eivissa and La Savina consists of cutting-edge technological equipment

06/10/2022

The water surface cleaning service in the ports of Eivissa and La Savina takes a step forward with the use of unique devices on the Spanish coastline. The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) is therefore committed to using energy-efficient and more sustainable equipment to keep the ports clean and, at the same time, reduce the carbon footprint. The commitment of the company Patena Pitiusas, in charge of this work, involves not exceeding 20 objects in an area of 50,000 square metres. The service is managed by a team of professionals on duty 24/7, 365 days a year, who respond to possible incidents within a maximum of 30 minutes. The 818,000 square metres of water surface in the port of Eivissa require 38 half-days of work per month, while the 53,000 square metres in the port of La Savina are kept in perfect condition with 6 half-days. A thorough cleaning of the water sheet improves the safety of the port, reducing the probability of collisions with large objects, blocked propellers and breakdowns due to obstruction in the cooling circuits. Waste collected Since October 2020, 42 anti-pollution days have taken place. Of the almost 5 tonnes of waste collected between October 2020 and July 2022, 47% is from rejects, 33% from organic waste and 20% from plastic. The majority comes from land (38%), while 26% comes from the sea. To a lesser extent, the sewage treatment plant, boating and fishing. Waste is classified by origin (sewage treatment plant, land, sea, nautical and fishing) and by typology (plastics, organic, rejects and others). All of this is recorded in a useful scientific database. In addition, emergencies are attended to in the event of oil spills, grey water, navigation obstacles, fires at APB, and ships sinking. Vessels Three vessels are used to clean the water surface. The first, 100% electric and solar-powered, has a large central hydraulic shovel, capable of picking up objects ranging from 10 millimetres to one tonne. It is 8.5 metres long and has a shallow draft (0.5 m) for shallow water operation. A second vessel cleans up areas of greater risk and bad weather conditions as it is equipped with flexible, highly resistant sides, and operates in anti-pollution initiatives. It is hybrid and has photovoltaic panels and an electric motor. The cleaning equipment is complemented by a two-metre surface cleaning drone and a 250-litre marine waste collection basket with 8 hours of autonomy. It is designed to reach the most difficult access areas between jetties and boats.

Environment and CSR Technology and innovation

APB reflects with its stakeholders on the energy transition in the Mediterranean

28/09/2022

One hundred people gathered this morning at the institutional headquarters of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) to listen to the presentations and reflections on Mar Blue 2022, entitled “The energy transition in the Mediterranean Sea”. The conference, organised in collaboration with the Balearic Marine Cluster and MEDVOLT Marine, explored the necessary energy transition in the Mediterranean Sea, to determine the challenges and opportunities this creates for the nautical and port industry. It has provided first-hand knowledge of the initiatives that are already underway in the private sector, as well as the tools and aid that the public sector is supplying to facilitate and promote traffic towards a blue and sustainable economy. The meeting began with the director of the APB, Jorge Nasarre arguing in favour of “achieving the climate neutrality of the ports”, which requires the implementation of ambitious solutions and at least three strategic lines of action: Energy efficiency, decarbonising port activity and reconverting energy production, storage and distribution infrastructures for fossil fuels. In relation to today’s event, Nasarre pointed out that the main purpose “is to make the sector and society aware of the magnitude and urgency of the challenge we are facing, but also to inspire the design of global and local decarbonisation strategies, to reflect on the potential for new business opportunities that the change towards an energy model based on renewable sources opens up for the ports and, finally, to provide a space for optimism”.

Environment and CSR Socio-economic development Technology and innovation

The APB transforms its vehicle fleet to make it more sustainable

20/09/2022

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has replaced its more than 10-year-old combustion vehicles with electric ones, in order to reduce its carbon footprint and form a more sustainable transport fleet. This covers a total of 29 vehicles: 19 vans, 2 passenger cars, 1 ATV and 7 motorcycles. 20 of them are for Palma, 3 for Alcúdia, 5 for Maó and 1 for Elvissa. The project is part of the plan to replace the vehicles of the General State Administration with others that do not emit pollutants into the atmosphere (ZERO label). This will result in a more modern and efficient vehicle fleet, thanks to financial support from the Next-Generation EU Recovery Fund.

Environment and CSR Technology and innovation

Today the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands celebrates its 150th anniversary

16/08/2022

Today the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the approval by Royal Order of the creation of the Works Committee of the Port of Palma, its own port management body that gave rise to the current APB after several name changes and ports of competence throughout its history. On 16 August 1872, the Director General of Public Works, acting on behalf of the Minister of Public Works, authorised the creation of "a Committee responsible for everything related to the improvements made in the port of Palma". This committee was made up of the governor of the province, as president, and representatives of the Provincial Council, Town Council, Trade Section, Board of Agriculture, Industry and Trade, two merchants, two shipowners, two landowners and, lastly, the Navy commander and civil engineer. 150th anniversary banner To commemorate this date, the APB has commissioned a banner with the names of the current members of its Board of Directors. The illustrator, Flavia Gargiulo, and the calligrapher, Paz Alomar, have been commissioned to immortalise for the entity’s history a list of the highest-ranking officials of the port authority. The APB thus continues the tradition begun in 1972, when it celebrated the centenary of the creation of the port's managing body, with two banners designed with the names of the members of the Committee of the Port of Palma in 1872 and 1972. B. Moll designed these banners. Mariano de Quintana is listed as the head of the 1872 Port Committee, while one hundred years later, in 1972, Miguel Nigorra Oliver held the position of president, with Antonio Dicenta de Vera as director and Antonio Cirerol Thomás as secretary. In 2022, Francesc Antich Oliver is elected president, Jorge Nasarre López director and María Antonia Ginard Moll secretary of the Board of Directors, so far the only woman to hold this position in the history of the institution. Domingo Bonnín Daniel, representing the Consell Insular de Mallorca and the latest addition to the Board of Directors, appears in the 2022 banner. Pomegranates and Gothic lettering The Madrid-based illustrator, Flavia Gargiulo, has used flowers and pomegranates to illustrate the banner, with golden details to enhance the 150th anniversary logo created for the occasion, while the calligrapher, Paz Alomar, has opted for Gothic lettering to continue the classic tradition of the APB’s banners. The work is done on natural goatskin parchment.

150th anniversary History

The APB resumes the Port Bus service in the port of Eivissa and improves intra-port connections

01/08/2022

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will resume the Port Bus service for passengers between 1 August and 31 October 2022 in the port of Eivissa, with stops at the Botafoc docks, the Formentera maritime station and the Commercial docks. The operating times for this service will be linked to the scheduled arrivals and departures of maritime transport and will be managed by the bus transport company Sagalés. Following several meetings held between the APB, Eivissa Town Council and the Consell d’Eivissa, the latter being the competent authorities for public land transport, measures have been proposed and implemented to provide adequate means of transport to respond to the large influx of passengers in the Botafoc area. These meetings were held in a climate of constructive dialogue and collaboration between public administrations. In addition, the Town Council has asked the taxi sector of Eivissa and the other town councils to collaborate so that taxi drivers can properly attend to priority services such as the port, the airport and health centres, among others. On the other hand, the Consell de Eivissa is coordinating other types of actions which, if carried out, would further improve the connectivity of the Botafoc area. City Boat Since 2018, the APB has had an inter-port maritime connection service called City Boat, which connects the Botafoc docks with the city, with stops at the es Martell platforms at the Ibiza marina, and with routes that pass near Talamanca beach. This maritime service focuses on the sustainability of passenger transport with the reduction of road traffic in the port area.

The Club Náutico de Ibiza will manage the facility it currently occupies until the resolution of the tender

01/08/2022

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) agreed yesterday in an ordinary meeting to extend the authorisation granted on 5 May 2021 to the Club Náutico de Ibiza for the management of the facility it currently occupies, until the resolution of the tender or, where appropriate, until 8 March 2023 at the latest. On 6 June, the terms and conditions of the tender were agreed for the management of a nautical facility for small and medium sized yachts in the port of Eivissa, consisting of a total area of 29,309 square metres (22,596 square metres of water and 6,713 square metres of land), which focused particularly on the promotion and teaching of the sport that is a benchmark of social responsibility in the maritime sector.

Transport and infrastructure Socio-economic development