New railings added to the bike lane on Avenida Adolfo Suárez in the Port of Palma

New railings added to the bike lane on Avenida Adolfo Suárez in the Port of Palma

08/05/2024

The Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) has replaced the bike lane's metal railings on Avenida Adolfo Suárez, in the Port of Palma, to ensure user safety and maintain the lane in good condition. A total of 1,698 metres of railings have been renovated. Work on the improvements was done in two phases. The first began in March and involved the renovation of 1,053 metres of railing, from the APB building to the Anima Beach Palma restaurant. The second phase was completed this week, ten days ahead of the deadline. Works have been carried out from the Anima Beach Palma restaurant to the pedestrian access stairway to Portitxol beach, which represents 645 metres of new railing. The total cost of the renovation project, awarded by public tender to the company Thicorca Herrrería y Construcción S.L., was just over €520,000.

Port-city
The APB adds 75 litter bins made from recycled fishing nets to the Port of Eivissa

The APB adds 75 litter bins made from recycled fishing nets to the Port of Eivissa

06/05/2024

The Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) has updated some of its urban installations in the Port of Eivissa with the addition of 75 new litter bins made from recycled material extracted from the sea. These bins have been made from old fishing nets which have fallen into disuse. The initiative falls under Serveo's cleaning and maintenance service for the ports of Ibiza and La Savina. At the same time, the company in charge of making the litter bins from recycled material is Fábregas. Renewal of this urban equipment is the port authority's commitment to promoting the circular economy and environmental awareness. It is also an initiative which fits in with port-city integration. Commitment to a circular economy In March 2023, the APB had already installed 8 benches and 8 litter bins in the Port of Palma, which were also made from recycled fishing nets. At that time, it was carried out by the Plastic Free Oceans campaign run by the Gravity Wave association.

Environment and CSR Port-city Transport and infrastructure
The APB takes acoustic measurements while the Ciudad de Granada is in the port of Maó

The APB takes acoustic measurements while the Ciudad de Granada is in the port of Maó

22/04/2024

This weekend, the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) conducted noise level tests while the Ciudad de Granada was berthed in the port of Maó. The objective is to verify that the measurements comply with the acoustic limits stipulated in the regulations in force for the port area. Javier Sanz, president of the APB, agreed to conduct the acoustic tests in response to the complaints received and the discontent expressed by the residents in the neighbourhoods around the port of Maó. The measurements were taken at various points in the port, both at night and during the day, to evaluate the impact of the noise generated by the vessel on the surrounding dwellings. They will be checked to see if they exceed the limits established in RD 1367/2007. The laboratory responsible for taking the measurements is accredited by ENAC and has proven experience in the field of environmental and marine acoustics.

Port-city
The APB has received a donation of bibliographic material compiled by historian Juan Pou Muntaner

The APB has received a donation of bibliographic material compiled by historian Juan Pou Muntaner

22/04/2024

Coinciding with World Book Day, the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) is delighted to publicise its acceptance of a donation of bibliographic material from the family of Juan Pou Muntaner, a historian who authored numerous works on marine history and the history of Mallorca in the 19th century. The port authority's archive thus contains over a thousand documents that help to provide a historical snapshot of the ports in the Balearic Islands. The donation, made by his nephew José Francisco Roig Palliser, includes magazines, bulletins, textbooks, collections, encyclopaedias and reports on maritime and port-related subjects. Of particular note is a collection of reports from the port of Palma, dating from 1965 to 1997. The donation also includes reports from the Trasmediterránea company (1918-1935) and the Unión Naval de Levante (1957-1981). Most of the documents are originals compiled by the historian himself. However, the Trasmediterráneareports are photocopies collected by Pou Muntaner during his time as an employee of the shipping company, and these particular texts are of considerable historical value due to the years to which they refer. Background The APB first acquired copies of books authored or co-authored by Juan Pou Muntaner in 1975, under the direction of Rafael Soler Gayá. They included Historia del Puerto de Palma de Mallorca (The History of the Port of Palma – 1974), Noticias y relaciones históricas de Mallorca (Historical News and Accounts from Mallorca – 1985), and Siglo y medio de tráfico marítimo en Baleares (Monografías) (One and a Half Centuries of Maritime Traffic in the Balearic Islands – Monographs). Juan Pou Muntaner As a researcher, Juan Pou Muntaner focused his studies on the history of the navy and the history of Mallorca in the 19th century, and his work earned him the Ciutat de Palma Prize for research in 1972. Pou Muntaner also contributed to the Boletín de la Sociedad Arqueológica Lul-liana (Bulletin of the Lul-liana Archaeological Society) and other scientific publications, as well as being published in Mallorcan daily newspapers, such as Baleares, Diario de Mallorca and Hoja del Lunes. His most notable work as a historian was Noticias y relaciones históricas de Mallorca (1985), in which Pou Muntaner provides annual data on the island's economy, production, and industrial and commercial activity.

History Port-city
The APB is putting the nautical bus service in the port of Eivissa out to public tender

The APB is putting the nautical bus service in the port of Eivissa out to public tender

22/04/2024

The Board of Directors of the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) agreed at its last meeting, held last week in Palma, to approve the specifications and clauses that will govern the public tender for the provision of the commercial nautical bus service in the port of Eivissa. The maritime transport line runs from the Botafoc area to the centre of Eivissa town (es Martell). The service provides an alternative to land transport that helps to reduce traffic congestion and pollution in the town. The call for tenders to operate the service has been agreed in view of the excellent results obtained in previous years. In April, May and June 2023 alone, around 19,000 cruise passengers used the service, eliminating the need for 760 bus journeys (return journeys included). The contract will be awarded for one year, and the concession fee will be 8,000 euros.

Transport and infrastructure
The APB celebrates World Book Day with an exhibition of Balearic maritime documentary heritage

The APB celebrates World Book Day with an exhibition of Balearic maritime documentary heritage

19/04/2024

The Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) is taking part in World Book Day on 23 April with a stand in front of its headquarters, following a suggestion from the archive staff. The aim is to make the Port Authority's bibliographic heritage accessible to everyone. There will be a stand to showcase books on maritime subjects published by the APB. Also, comics called Las puertas del mar, “The Gates of the Sea” in English, explaining the importance of ports in the Islands, as well as magnets of the lighthouses of the Balearic Islands, will be handed out. This year's new feature is that everyone who chooses to share photos or videos on social media at the APB photocall will win a book as a gift. All participants will receive a free gift from the port organisation with titles such as: A la llum del far. Testimoni dels darrers faroners balears (By the light of the lighthouse. Testimony of the last Balearic lighthouse keepers), Els fars de sa Dragonera (The lighthouses of Dragonera), Curiositats del Port de Palma de Mallorca (Interesting facts about the Port of Palma de Mallorca) and Els grans ports de les Balears al segle XXI (The major ports of the Balearics in the 21st century). In addition, anyone who visits the stall located in Palma's Moll Vell will be able to view the five ports managed by the port organisation (Alcúdia, Eivissa, Maó, Palma and La Savina) through virtual reality glasses.

Port-city
The APB grants authorisation for the management of a nautical facility for small and medium-sized boats in the port of Eivissa to Puertos y Litorales Sostenibles

The APB grants authorisation for the management of a nautical facility for small and medium-sized boats in the port of Eivissa to Puertos y Litorales Sostenibles

18/04/2024

At a meeting held today in Palma, the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) agreed to grant the authorisation for the management of moorings for boats up to fifteen metres in length at the Ribera-Poniente quay in the port of Eivissa to the company Puertos y Litorales Sostenibles, S.L. This is the most advantageous bid submitted to the tender, which aims to ensure special attention is paid to the promotion and teaching of sport, as a benchmark for social responsibility in the nautical sector. The meeting saw a lengthy debate on the issue of excluding Puertos y Litorales Sostenibles, whose representative has been convicted of procedural fraud, from the tender. The State Attorney's Office dismissed this possibility, which is why the Board of Directors, in the absence of an alternative, has resolved the tender in view of the report of the technical committee. The Board of Directors of the APB reached this decision after hearing the technical committee's report assessing the bids submitted to the tender, in which Puertos y Litorales Sostenibles was proposed as the most advantageous solution of all those bidding for the tender. The authorisation will last for a period of one year, which may be extended up to a maximum of three years. Puertos y Litorales Sostenibles is committed to invest €1.9 million to install a floating dock to reduce marine agitation in the inner dock. Another €240,000 will be invested in environmental improvements, including photovoltaic panels, an aquatic drone to clean the water surface and the installation of sensors to detect hydrocarbon spills, among other initiatives. According to the tender assessment criteria, the investment focused particularly on the safety of the facilities accounted for 20% of the total score, while the investment in environmental improvements accounted for 5%. Social approach The commitment of the bidders to carry out training or educational, sporting, social or cultural activities of a non-profit nature in the nearly thirty thousand square metres of total surface area of the port public domain was one of the points to be considered in the tender. This is a novel approach, since this criterion represents 30% of the score, as it constitutes a firm commitment of the port organisation to ensure that the sporting and social aspect of the facilities is enhanced. Puertos y Litorales Sostenibles has committed itself to contribute €360,000 per year to training courses in nautical-sports activities, the organisation of regattas, as well as activities and events of this nature, in collaboration with local organisations, to help people with disabilities and those at risk of social exclusion. The proposal by Puertos y Litorales Sostenibles maintains the current rates for mooring boats up to 8 metres in length, which represents 62% of the current fleet, while increasing them for those of greater length up to 15 metres, including both basic and transient boats, provided they are within the market price range of the Port of Eivissa. This criterion has had the greatest weight in the appraisal, with 40% of the total. As far as the annual fee to be paid to the APB for the occupation of the space is concerned, none of the bids presented any improvement on the minimum of €334,000 plus 4% of the turnover required in the tender specifications. This criterion represents 5% of the overall score, due to the fact that the APB has not pursued economic profit as a decisive factor in choosing the winning bid. Short-term future As the winning bidder, Puertos y Litorales Sostenibles agrees to safeguard the rights of the current moorers of this nautical facility, as well as to maintain its current employees. Management of the facility will commence, provided that the administrative formalities arising from this agreement are satisfactorily completed, on 5 May, the date on which the current authorisation expires. The APB is already working on drafting the terms and conditions for a new tender that will guarantee an administrative concession for a long-term period of 20 to 30 years, within the legislative framework, and which will favour investment, enable its amortisation and thus promote projects' economic viability. The APB's objective is to tender, assess and award this concession before the maximum period of three years of this authorisation expires.

Transport and infrastructure
The APB is improving the management of its ports with geospatial technology

The APB is improving the management of its ports with geospatial technology

15/04/2024

In collaboration with Ersi España and Prodevelop, the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) has implemented Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to manage information on the infrastructures and port operations in its five general interest ports more efficiently. The platform integrates the port authority's ICT systems, providing a standardised and comprehensive solution for managing assets, operations, and infrastructures. The APB handles an annual volume of more than 50,000 port calls, one of the highest in Spain. It also has one of the highest passenger traffic volumes, registering more than 2.4 million cruise passengers and six million scheduled passengers. The rollout of the smart map systems will help to achieve an efficient and synchronised management of the data generated by port operations, concessions, tenders, asset and infrastructure management, fleets, port services, and port security, among other things. GIS also allow for real-time monitoring. In addition, the integrated graphic management of the APB's assets will allow users to take advantage of the available information in order to optimise and streamline port processes, such as organising the public areas, recreational craft, ports of call, and supply networks.

Technology and innovation
The port of Maó welcomes PescArt Menorca

The port of Maó welcomes PescArt Menorca

05/04/2024

The Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) and the Maó Fishermen's Guild have joined the PescArt Menorca initiative, a circular and blue economy project promoted by Menorca Preservation and brought to fruition by the Plastic-Free Menorca Alliance. The decision will see the port of Maó participate in the recycling of discarded fishing nets. The port of Maó is the third port on the island to sign up to the initiative to recycle disused fishing nets in order to give them a second useful life, following in the footsteps of Ciutadella and Fornells. Its involvement in the project will further boost the scope and impact of PescArt Menorca, not only in terms of the number of nets collected and recycled but also by diversifying and enriching the artistic and artisan creations. In addition to collecting and recycling fishing nets, the initiative also offers a programme of workshops, both specifically for artisans and artists and for other groups. Furthermore, in the coming months, PescArt Menorca will schedule two exhibitions to showcase the artistic and artisanal pieces created as part of the project and will be consolidating new lines of collaboration and research. As a new feature this year, PescArt Menorca has also decided to incorporate other types of plastic waste with artistic potential, such as wetsuits and parasols.

Port-city
The APB’s Board of Directors has approved a good environmental practices agreement with Marina La Savina

The APB’s Board of Directors has approved a good environmental practices agreement with Marina La Savina

21/03/2024

At its latest meeting, held yesterday in Palma, the Board of Directors of the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) approved a collaboration agreement with Marina La Savina on good environmental practices in the general interest port of La Savina. The agreement, which will be valid for six months, aims to increase environmental investments in the nautical facility. As part of the agreement, Port Med Formentera S.L. has pledged to invest at least 50% of the savings in environmental improvement projects in the surrounding area. In addition, it must adhere to a set of technical and operational instructions based on the guidelines for good environmental practices approved by the State Ports Authority. The company is also obliged to have ISO 14001 certification. Port Med Formentera S.L. is the company currently authorised to manage the moorings on the western quay of La Savina Port, operating under the name Marina La Savina. In accordance with current legislation, the APB provides that all holders of a concession or licence to carry out certain types of port activities — including fishing and nautical sports — may subscribe to an agreement on good environmental practices in exchange for a 15% discount on their business activity fee.

Environment and CSR
The APB is putting the management of the moorings on the western quay of Ibiza Port out to public tender

The APB is putting the management of the moorings on the western quay of Ibiza Port out to public tender

21/03/2024

At its latest meeting, held yesterday in Palma, the Board of Directors of the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) approved the specifications and operating clauses that will govern the public tender for permission to manage more than ninety moorings for recreational vessels on the western quay of Ibiza’s port. The facility occupies a total surface area of more than 20,000 square metres of public port domain, most of which is water. Specifically, the contract being put out to tender includes the management of two floating jetties and the berthing line on the marina's western quay, known as es Martell. The lengths of the vessels covered by the licence range from six and a half to sixty metres. Of these, twelve are between 25 and 60 metres long. The duration of the contract also provides for the possibility of two one-year extensions. The annual occupancy fee will be, as a minimum, around 579,000 euros.

Socio-economic development
The APB supports and champions the role of women in the Port Police Force

The APB supports and champions the role of women in the Port Police Force

08/03/2024

The APB (Balearic Port Authority) today held a round table discussion to celebrate International Women’s Day. Under the slogan Somos Mujeres, somos Autoridad, somos Portuarias [We’re Women, we’re Authority, we’re the Port Police], the APB’s aim was to highlight the role of women in the force, which had historically been a male domain. At the event, the APB Archive team presented some previously unpublished documents that show very clearly that the Authority was a pioneer in Spain in terms of the incorporation of women into the Port Police. Inmaculada Morán, who in 1991 became the very first female Port Police officer in the Balearic Islands, took part in the round table. Furthermore, many of the women who are currently working for the APB, and either are, or have been, members of the Port Police at one of the five ports of general interest managed by the organisation, including Olga Peñalver, Elke Fernández, Raquel Ripoll, Maribel Torres and Fosi Jiménez, talked about their own experiences. They recalled the process of preparing to sit the Port Police entrance exams, and what working relationships with the other members of the port community were like. One of the very first female members of the Port Police was Olga Peñalver, who joined in 1996 and is now head of the Conservation Department. Peñalver said that “among the male officers, the fact that there were now women on the force came as quite a shock. In fact, they didn’t have changing rooms or uniforms for women”. She added that “when a Port Police Officer became pregnant, they didn’t quite know what to do or how to manage the situation”. Many of the women who started out as Port Police officers subsequently pursued a professional career within the APB, and today hold managerial posts within the company, like Olga Peñalver.

Port-city