Noticias APB | Ports de Balears

Ibiza and Palma become the first ports in Spain to use a water cleaning robot in their concessions

26/07/2021

The IPM and IMG Group marinas to pioneer the use of the new device in Spain, Marina Ibiza and Marina Port de Mallorca, are committed to caring for and preserving the environment and constantly looking for ways to improve and raise awareness among their customers. Both companies operate concessions in the multi-purpose ports of Palma and Ibiza. At the same time, and for the first time in Spain, the two marinas launched a revolutionary robot vacuum cleaner that travels across the surface of the water, collecting floating waste, microplastics and hydrocarbons while analysing the water quality. The device, named 'Geneseas', can be programmed through an app to clean the entire water surface area of the port in automatic mode or be manually operated with a remote control to capture up to 140 litres of floating debris. In addition to having a conventional electrical charging system, the robot has been fitted with solar panels to allow for charging via a renewable energy source. It performs two primary tasks. Firstly, it uses a suction system with a recyclable filter made from natural fibres to safely removes microplastics, macroplastics and hydrocarbons from the water. Secondly, it monitors the water quality to keep an eye on its physical-chemical parameters, testing for pH, temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, Redox and other data. All these parameters are recorded in real-time, traced by the integrated GPS, and converted to data for straightforward analysis with the app. By investing in the water cleaning robot Marina Ibiza and Marina Port de Mallorca add another measure to their environmental programmes and efforts to preserve the marine environment. The device, which is not only revolutionary for its ability to clean the water remotely but because it also serves as a valuable tool for real-time water quality analysis, undoubtedly represents a huge step forward for their efforts to protect the Balearic flora and fauna.

Environment and CSR Technology and innovation

The APB has contributed to the publishing of a book entitled Descubriendo a D. Pedro Garau y Cañellas, Ingeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos (Discovering Mr Pedro Garau y Cañellas, Civil Engineer)

14/07/2021

Yesterday, the Professional Association of Civil Engineers (ICCP) presented a volume dedicated to engineer Pere Garau, the man behind the Sóller Railway project and several other outstanding initiatives. The event was attended by the president and the chairman of the Balearic Islands branch of the Professional Association of Civil Engineers, Miguel Ángel Carrillo and Juan Antonio Esteban the Director-General for Mobility and Land Transport for the Balearic Islands' government, Jaume Mateu the deputy mayor of Sóller, Carles Darder the Cs representative in Parliament, Marc Pérez-Ribas and the head of Infrastructures for the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB), Antoni Ginard. Pere Garau is one of the great engineers of the early twentieth century. In addition to the project and construction of the Palma-Sóller railway, he was also responsible for a re-modelling project for Palma’s port. Between 1912 and 1919, he was the head engineer for the Board of the Port of Palma, drawing up, in 1913, a "General project for the expansion, defence, improvement of services and cleaning of Palma Port", which, for the first time, included a counter dock on a right angle to close the port at the seawall, leaving a mouth that gave access to completely calm moorings. Also for the first time, the plans included a road that reclaimed land from the sea from the mouth of the la Riera stream to the place known as “S’Aigua dolça”, a distant precursor of the future promenade. Although the project was never approved, it laid the foundations for the future construction of the promenade, which took more than 40 years to complete. The book The book, entitled Descubriendo a D.Pedro Garau y Cañellas, Ingeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, has been made possible thanks to contributions from the Balearic Island Port Authority and Garau Ingenieros. Its 146 pages are structured around an introduction articles by the Chairman, Mr Juan Antonio Esteban the former Chairman, Mr Miquel Àngel Llauger the members of the Governing Board of the Balearic Islands Branch of the ICCP, Mr Antonio Ginard, Ms Sara Lobato, and Mr Luis Matarín an interview with Mr Miguel Payeras, a researcher on the life of Mr Pedro Garau, and the publication of two interviews with Mr Carlos Garau and Mr Pedro Portau Salas, the great-grandson and great-great-grandson of Mr Pedro Garau. Lastly, it features a digitised and transcribed version of the Sóller Railway Project. The book can be downloaded in Spanish and Catalan from the following links: Libro Pedro Garau_CAST Llibre Pedro Garau_CAT

The APB will incorporate criteria for adaptation to climate change in the construction of new infrastructures

05/07/2021

Yesterday, in an ordinary session, the Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has approved the contract to be signed between the APB and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-UPC) for the development of a plan for adaptation to climate change for APB ports. The resulting research will determine the impacts of climate change and develop a specific adaptation plan. The study will be carried out by the UPC's Maritime Engineering Laboratory (LIM/UPC), Specific Research Centre (CER) within the scope of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering of the Barcelona School of Civil Engineering. The contract amounts to 123,000 euros and will last 13 months. Its objective is to analyse the potential impacts of climate change on the functions of the breakwaters and docks of APB ports and to propose and plan actions to adapt to these effects depending on the time horizon. The potential impacts to be analysed are the operability of the quays and jetties, functions of the ports in terms of agitation and overtopping, stability of the breakwaters and silting up of the harbour mouths due to shoreline variation on the beaches adjacent to these ports. Specific objectives More precisely, the study will reflect on the loss of operability and potential flooding of quays and jetties due to a rise in sea level under different climatic conditions, as well as changes in the overtopping of breakwaters and potential variations in waves under these same conditions. The port-beach interaction will also be covered on coastlines where ports have beaches attached to them, studying the siltation of the harbour mouths due to changes in sea level. Firstly, a proposal for action on port infrastructures will emerge from all this, so that they can adapt to the effects of climate change in the short, medium and long term, according to the previous diagnosis made on the changes made to port operations due to the modification of climatic conditions, which are mainly the increase in the average sea level and the in the height of the waves in storms. Secondly, a Risk Atlas and a Climate Alert plan will be drawn up for each of the ports studied, considering the time horizons and climate conditions selected, as well as the development of climate adaptation pathways, determining the points of no return for decision making that will anticipate the impacts of climate change.

Environment and CSR Transport and infrastructure

FRS starts operating the Ibiza-Formentera route today, 28 June

29/06/2021

The shipping company FRS will start operating the Eivissa - La Savina route from today, 28 June, consolidating its entry into the coastal waters of the Balearic Islands after the launch of the Alcudia-Ciutadella route on 26 May. The new connection will be made with the fast ferry 'San Gwann', which makes the crossing in 30 minutes. The 'San Gwann' has the capacity to carry up to 427 passengers, and offers free WiFi and a cocktail-bar service on board. FRS will offer four daily trips between both ports from Monday to Sunday, with schedules throughout the whole day. Tickets for this route can already be booked and purchased through FRS sales channels, ticket offices on land and on board, website (www.frs.es), Call Centre (+34 956 68 18 30) and the free mobile phone application (FRS Travel App). FRS in the Balearic Islands FRS disembarks in the Balearic Islands after a process of expansion that began in 2020 with the acquisition of new shipping companies and routes in Northern Europe that have positioned it as a global business that leads the fast ferry market in Spain, Germany, Sweden and Finland. With more than 2,000 employees and 73 ships, the shipping company operates in 14 countries around the world.

Transport and infrastructure

The new water surface cleaning service in the ports of Eivissa and La Savina removes 1,266 kg of waste in 6 months

29/06/2021

The water surface cleaning and pollution control service in the ports of Eivissa and La Savina has shown a positive balance for the first six months of service, during which it has removed 1,266 kg of waste, with an average of 8.67 kg per day. The concessionaire, Patena Pitiusas, will prepare a six-monthly report for monitoring the evolution of the cleaning and the difference between the summer and winter seasons. The waste has been classified into three main types: plastic, organic and residue. More than half corresponds to organic waste (remains of seaweed and plants together with wood), while plastic accounts for 25% and residue for 22%. The best part of the work was carried out in May, with the removal of 283 kg of waste (a daily average of 13.48 kg). The lowest was January, with 46 kg per month. In terms of the origins of the waste, some is land-based and ends up in the sea due to the action of the wind, waste treatment plants, the sea, or nautical and fishing activities. Therefore, more than 52% is land-based waste from the sea, which has been in the water for a long time and is washed up by the wind and currents. Most of the waste collected was packaging and wrappings from other countries in the Mediterranean basin, as well as natural organic waste such as Posidonia and seaweed. The clean-up campaign has also yielded some curious data, such as the amount of bulky waste in the Baix de sa Penya cove, the large amount of syringes, masks and cigarette butts from land and the remains of professional fishing nets. Four vessels Five types of vessels were used to clean the water surface: Botafoc's Far catamaran, the only one of its kind in the world, designed exclusively for cleaning the water surface. 100% electric, plug-in and solar, without any type of generator or fuel alternator, it is 8.5 metres long and has enough battery autonomy to operate for two days (18 hours) at between 2.5 and 3 knots. They also have a 7.6-metre hybrid semi-rigid boat adapted for cleaning areas that are difficult to access and pose a greater risk, due to its flexible and highly resistant sides. The great novelty of this contract was the introduction of an aquatic drone, almost 2 metres long with a 1.5 metre beam, a 250-litre marine litter basket and an 8-hour autonomy. Finally, the Blue Clear, an autonomous skimmer-type device powered by solar panels, which removes plastics and light hydrocarbons from the water surface. It separates the waste by filtering and decanting it on site, returning clean water and increasing the concentration of oxygen at the site.

Environment and CSR Technology and innovation

THE PORT OF LA SAVINA HOSTS INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY

22/06/2021

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has offered its facilities at the port of La Savina (Formentera) to host two master classes given by wellness expert and international yogi Xuan Lan, scheduled for International Yoga Day 2021: Brahma sunset yoga: back to the essence and 108 sun salutations. These sessions were held on 19 and 21 June, at sunset, and brought together 200 participants from all over Spain: Formentera, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Barcelona, Tarragona, Valencia, Madrid, Alicante, Vizcaya, La Coruna, Zaragoza... This location has therefore allowed all attendees to easily access the event and make the most of this unique wellness experience promoted by the Consell Insular de Formentera and Puro Bienestar. International Yoga Day is celebrated on 21 June, a date chosen by the UN to raise awareness of the benefits of this holistic wellness approach, which is aimed at integrating the mind and body into union and harmony and respecting the cycles of nature. Port Authority of the Balearic Islands The APB is working towards a more effective response to the challenges of daily life, adapting and modernising port facilities and services in order to improve the fluidity and comfort of goods and passenger traffic in the ports of Alcúdia, Eivissa, Maó, Palma and La Savina.

Environment and CSR Socio-economic development

The APB intensifies maritime traffic control and safety in the port of La Savina

15/06/2021

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) is going to intensify the control of compliance with the regulations concerning mooring authorisations in the port of La Savina, with the aim of guaranteeing safe port operations and offering the best service to passengers. It has specifically reminded shipping companies operating the route between Eivissa and Formentera of their obligation to respect the maximum navigation speeds in port areas, mandatory compliance with the requirements that limit certain simultaneous manoeuvres and strict compliance with departure times, in order to ensure good service to regular passengers. Improving the service In addition, the APB plans to improve the Port Control service in both ports in the short term and to extend the studies on the operational limitations of the port of La Savina. All these measures lead to continuous improvement in the safety of port, maritime and land operations.

Transport and infrastructure Environment and CSR

Inauguration of an exhibition on half a century of lighthouse work in the Balearic Islands

14/06/2021

The president and director of the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB), Francesc Antich and Jorge Nasarre López, and the president and secretary of the Balearic Islands branch of the Association of Civil Engineers, Juan Antonio Esteban Rodríguez and José Alejandro Asensi López, respectively, inaugurated a new exhibition, dedicated to the work carried out over the last half century on the lighthouses and navigation aid systems of the Balearic Islands. The ten images, selected by the APB and the Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos (Association of Civil Engineers) are located in front of the south door of the old office building of the Port Authority, on Palma's Old Quay. The lighthouses selected are Tagomago, Moscarter, Sa Bleda Plana, Portopí, Barbaria, Llebeig, Cavalleria, Alcanada, Sa Mola and La Mola, which have been modernised since 1970, most of them with electrification projects. These premises stand out for their integration into the environment and their usefulness in saving lives. The original authors of the projects, not always of the reforms, were Rafael Soler, Mauro Serret, Emili Pou, Eusebi Estada, Antonio López Montalvo and Pedro Garau Cañellas. Rafael Soler is the only one of these engineers who is still alive. The APB and the Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos joined this initiative by contributing images and texts, in Spanish and Catalan, that identify the lighthouses that have benefited from interventions by engineering professionals and the support of the APB for little more than half a century. This has resulted in an exceptional collection of 20 photographs, 10 infographics and 20 technical texts, as well as other generic descriptions, which stand out for their historical and scientific value. Lighthouse ignition systems, machinery and optics form part of the exhibition. The collection informs visitors about the origin and evolution of lighthouses and other navigational aids from 1970 to the present day, and the importance they have for ships. They include the most primitive maritime signals and the first buildings erected with acoustic, electronic and visual signals, to the present day, when navigation aids are highly technical and remotely controlled. With the development of new technologies, many of the signal elements have lost their original use but retain their heritage and historical value. Some of them are now on display in the port of Palma, on the Old Quay.

Port-city Technology and innovation

The APB employees' sustainable mobility challenge reduces the emission of 561 kg of CO2 for one month

10/06/2021

2,563 km travelled and 561 kg of CO2 less in the atmosphere. These are the figures produced by the CicloGreen sustainable mobility pilot project during the month of April. Some thirty employees of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) took part in this 30-day challenge, whose main objective was to promote sustainable mobility within the organisation in an effort to reduce CO2 emissions from transport. Employees preferred the bicycle as a means of transport, although they also walked, used public transport, carpooling or electric vehicles. The Ciclogreen mobile application enabled employees to record their sustainable journeys and enter a prize draw to win various prizes, such as a bicycle or a weekend in a country house. Through this challenge, the APB is collaborating in the process of transition from the prevailing mobility model in our cities to a more sustainable, efficient and safe one. Environmental strategy The general lines of the APB's Environmental Strategy were presented before the prize draw among the employees who had passed the challenge. As a result, numerous projects were developed, in particular, those for monitoring air quality at ports, electrical land connections of ships in port, the Cleanport project, the meteorological and oceanographic support system (SAMOA), Signals XXI, the agreement with the Save the Med Foundation, sustainable cleaning of the port waters, monitoring of litter bins and organic matter containers, energy transformation of the terminals and the GreenHyland, Portfoward and Balith projects.

Environment and CSR Technology and innovation

New children's playground for the port of La Savina

08/06/2021

The new playground at the port of La Savina, funded by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (PAB), is now open to the public and provides to the citizens with an area located on the promenade of the Marina next to the Formentera Mar tower. The playground is intended for children aged 5 to 12 and includes all safety measures required in the manufacture, installation, inspection and maintenance of the park by the European standards UNE-EN 1176 and UNE-EN1177. In addition, the playground equipment chosen is built with materials resistant to marine environments. The 225 square metre area consists of a Landscape Structures model with an arch, climbing frame, bridge, slide, balancing activity and swing. Built by the Parrot Asfaltomeros joint venture, the project cost more than 72,000 euros. Refurbishment project This action is part of a larger project to improve the roads and pedestrian areas at the entrance to the port of La Savina, to provide it with infrastructures that are better adapted to current needs and more comfortable for its users. These include an improved landscaping, paving, signposting, street lighting, cycle lanes and viewpoints.

Port-city

The APB and the Consell de Mallorca revalidate the agreement for fire protection and firefighting, rescue and public safety for the port of Alcúdia

02/06/2021

Further strengthening of cooperation between the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) and the Consell de Mallorca, through the signing of an agreement on fire protection and firefighting, rescue and public safety in the port of Alcúdia. The aim of the agreement is to increase the technical collaboration of the APB and the Bombers de Mallorca in order to raise safety levels in the port area of Alcúdia and to make the most of the resources and means available. The president of the APB, Francesc Antich, and the president of the Consell de Mallorca, Catalina Cladera, signed the new agreement in a ceremony attended by the director of the APB, Jorge Nasarre, and the councillor of the Treasury and Civil Service, Josep Lluís Colom. The president of the APB, Francesc Antich, highlighted "the opportunity to benefit from an agreement that has been working very well for almost a decade", and valued the continuity of the agreement between the institutions to ensure "an optimal level of security in the port area and optimisation of public resources". "We continue to reinforce safety and protection in the port of Alcúdia with the presence of the Mallorca Fire Brigade, guaranteeing the provision of a specialised quality service adapted to the demands of port activity," said the president of the Consell, Catalina Cladera. To this end, the APB will provide the staff of the Bombers de Mallorca (BdM) with material and a specific training programme for port emergencies, with a budget of €286,000 for the next four years. Internal Emergency Plan (IEP) The port of Alcúdia has an Internal Emergency Plan (IEP) drawn up by the APB in which the BdM is considered an intervention group. Through this agreement, the members of the Mallorca Fire Brigade undertake to intervene in extinguishing fires on land and on boats, public safety operations, evacuation tasks, land rescue operations, loading and unloading of hazardous goods and participation in drills, among other risky activities. This reciprocal cooperation dates back to 2002, when the first collaboration agreement was signed between the two institutions and which has been revalidated with the signing of the new agreement. Through this agreement, the APB collaborates in tasks carried out by the BdM at all times and provides human resources for the development of surveillance activities in the service area of the port of Alcúdia. A Joint Monitoring Commission made up of three members from each of the parties will coordinate the development of this agreement.

Technology and innovation Transport and infrastructure

The APB presents its port innovation ecosystem

31/05/2021

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), together with more than fifty of its stakeholders, has started to reflect on the innovative initiatives taken by the organisation. All this has materialised today in the presentation of the port innovation ecosystem, in which the president of the APB, Francesc Antich, the director, Jorge Nasarre, and the head of the Quality, Environment, Innovation and CSR department, Jorge Martín, took part. According to the president, today’s event "expresses the desire to start a close collaboration with all those who can play relevant and decisive roles in promoting the best operation of our ports". Antich pointed out that "it is a good initiative for public administrations, the business fabric, the academic sector and civil society to come together to create an ecosystem to promote and innovative, more social, more sustainable and more inclusive economic model". Jorge Nasarre outlined the specific objectives of the Strategic Plan on which the APB is working, in which innovation itself is a strategy that encompasses the rest: "This is a tool that will allow us to achieve our vision and mission, and we do not want to and cannot do it alone," he said. As far as Jorge Martín is concerned, he went into the parameters that help us to measure the innovation of a region, with the aim of "moving forward together towards the port of the future". The port ecosystem, in continuous growth, includes projects such as the Port Centre in the moll Vell, the Marine Pole, the Technology Transfer Centre in the Riba lighthouse and other future initiatives such as a Sand-Box in the commercial docks and the Maritime Museum in the Contramuelle-Mollet. Finally, KPMG's Director of Innovation, Quim Martínez, highlighted the importance of open innovative ecosystems as knowledge-based drivers, where the private sector leads the initiative and the public sector facilitates it. Nou Llevant Innovation District A large part of the public authority's contribution to innovation is embodied in the "Districte d'Innovació Nou Llevant" initiative, which aims to turn the Nou Llevant area, Soledad sur and the seafront into a new economic hub for Palma based on the knowledge economy, digitalisation and innovation. The APB will participate in this initiative through the development of the Marine Pole, which mainly includes the work of the Coastal Observation and Forecasting System (SOCIB) and the Spanish Oceanographic Institute (IOE).

Technology and innovation