Noticias APB | Ports de Balears

A piece of mid 19th century French pottery found during the dredging work at the Port of Maó

03/04/2014

A piece of mid 19th century French pottery from Bordeaux has been found during the archaeological supervision carried out as part of the dredging work at the Port of Maó. More detailed information is available on the web about the dredging work at the Port of Maó in www.portsdebalears.com. This morning, the dredger Antignano arrived at the Port of Maó and will be joining in with the dredging work currently underway in the Maó waters. The addition of this new dredger brings the total number of vessels involved in the dredging work to three (Neptun Khan, Dipper Von Rocks and the aforementioned Antignano), and thus aims to make up for the delays that occurred at the start of the project as a result of bad weather. The Antignano is a 60 metre-long hopper, which can load up to 660 cubic metres of dredged material.

Work on the Cós Nou road at the Port of Maó starts today

02/04/2014

Today, work starts on building the new access road to the Cós Nou Quay from the La Mola road at the Port of Maó. This road will provide access to the naval base and the future passenger and general cargo terminal. The new access will be made up of a stretch of road around 300 metres long running from north to south. At the north end, a roundabout will be built to extend the existing road, which links the town of Maó to La Mola, whilst at the south end a second roundabout will be built to connect the naval base and the Cós Nou Quay to the planned road. The new road will have two lanes in both directions, pavements, a bike lane, and street lighting. The construction of this new road will improve road access to the Port of Maó and the naval base, as well as adapting the port facility area that is open to traffic to basic security requirements and current port legislation. The tender for the work has been awarded to the company Antonio Gomila, S.A. The project has a budget of €3.2 million and a maximum execution period of five months.

This morning the Dipper Von Rocks dredger arrived in Maó to dredge the port

01/04/2014

The Dipper Von Rocks dredger arrived early this morning at the Port of Maó, pulled by the Gargal tug boat. Over the next few days, it will be joining in with the dredging work currently taking place in the Maó waters. This powerful dipper dredger will considerably speed up dredging operations, which have been underway since 10th March. The dredger will be operating alongside the lighters John and Paul, which arrived in Maó last week. These barges will be used to transport the material dredged by the Dipper Von Rocks, with the back-up of the GPS Battler tug boat. After its arrival at the port today, the dredger will need two or three days to be put into position before it can start dredging.

The USS Harry S. Truman CVN 75 aircraft carrier to call at the Port of Palma in April

28/03/2014

Next week, the Port of Palma will be visited by the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman CVN 75 and the cruiser San Jacinto on a five-day call during which around 6,000 soldiers will be visiting the island. The visit of these US Navy ships will bring a considerable boost to the economy as it is estimated that each soldier who disembarks spends around €120 per day. The visit will have a positive impact on car hire firms, excursions, restaurants, hotels, taxis, and shops in general. The presence of the USS Harry S. Truman CVN 75 and the cruiser San Jacinto at the Port of Palma means that other services such as pilotage services, tug boats, waste treatment companies, underwater activities, and maritime transport will also be required. The ships are set to be docked at the Port of Palma from 3rd to 7th April. It is the first time in two years that North American navy ships have visited the Port of Palma.

The APB awards tender to manage moorings at the Port of Maó to the Maó Sailing Club

26/03/2014

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has awarded the tender to manage the moorings at the D’en Reynés dry dock area on the Levante Quay, at the Port of Maó, to the Maó Sailing Club, which had submitted the best offer in the public tender. The authorisation has been granted for a period of one year, with an option to be extended for a further year. The Maó Sailing Club will be responsible for managing 48 moorings for boats that are between eight and thirty metres long on a waterbody totalling 10,900 square metres, and 224 metres of berthing line. During the year the authorisation is set to last, the Maó Sailing Club has undertaken to pay the APB a total of €135,600.93 in charges and charge increases. The authorisation has been given for a period of one year. During this time, the APB aims to approve new tender conditions to award a new concession for the management of these moorings. If the concession tender has not been awarded by the end of this period, the authorisation may be extended for a further year. It should be recalled that on 31st October 2013, the APB’s Board of Directors accepted Menorca Moorings, S.L.’s withdrawal from the concession through which it managed the moorings at the D’en Reynés dry dock area. At the same meeting, the Board approved the terms and conditions governing the public tender for the temporary authorisation to manage these moorings.

Two lighters arrive in Maó tomorrow to take part in dredging work at the port

26/03/2014

Tomorrow morning, the lighters John and Paul are scheduled to arrive at the Port of Maó, and join in the dredging work currently underway in the Minorcan port. The two barges will be used to assist the Dipper Von Rocks dredger. Each lighter, which features a mechanism for opening its hull lengthways, has a hopper that can load up to 550 cubic metres. The two barges will be used to transport the material dredged by the Dipper Von Rocks, which is currently located off the coast of Cartagena, on its last leg before reaching the island of Minorca. The lighters John and Paul are being towed to the area by the British tug boat, GPS Battler. They are currently located off the coast of the Minorcan town of Sant Lluís, waiting for the weather conditions to improve at the Port of Maó, which has been closed to traffic since 1300h because of strong winds.

The PAB puts forward a proposal to extend the Port of Palma for discussion and consensus.

25/03/2014

This morning, the Chairman of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), Alberto Pons, presented a preview of the Infrastructure Master Plan for the Port of Palma, for discussion and consensus. After informing both the State-owned Ports Body and the Balearic Islands Regional Government of its plans, the APB aims to start a round of contacts with government authorities and other social stakeholders to discuss and reach an agreement on the type of port the capital of the Balearic Islands needs. The draft of the Infrastructure Master Plan for the Port of Palma proposes a 340,000 square-metre extension based on reclaiming land from the sea, a new 3,200 metre-long breakwater, and nearly 2,000 additional metres of berthing for ships. The most salient points of the plan include the creation of a new outer dock to house a mixed terminal for passengers and conventional cargo, a 140,000 square-metre area for ship maintenance and repairs, the creation of new berths for recreational vessels up to 100 metres long, and making the commercial docks an integral area of the city. The estimated cost of this plan is in the region of €550 million. This initiative to extend the Port of Palma was outlined by Alberto Pons today at the 9th Radio Mallorca Forum, organised by Cadena Ser, at the Castillo Hotel Son Vida de Palma. During the forum, Pons also reviewed the APB’s role in managing public ports in the Balearic Islands.

The maritime signalling exhibition at the Portopí lighthouse received nearly 1,700 visitors in 2013

20/03/2014

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) registered nearly 1,700 visitors to its permanent maritime signalling exhibition at the Portopí lighthouse in 2013. This exhibition brings together one of the most comprehensive and best-known collections of used maritime signalling equipment, both in Spain and abroad, dating from the mid-nineteenth 19th century onwards. This APB exhibition is visited annually by numerous social and professional associations, academic organisations, schools, and the general public who may view, by prior appointment, highly-valuable maritime signalling equipment used on the Balearic Islands in the past. This equipment has been recovered and preserved for future generations. Appointments to visit the exhibition can be made for Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings by calling (00 34) 971 228 487, or by emailing fardeportopi@portsdebalears.com. The exhibition can also be visited online at See page Tenth anniversary May 2014 marks the tenth anniversary of this cultural space, housed within the Portopí lighthouse (Port of Palma), which is the third-oldest working lighthouse in the world. In the 1980s, in the light of the significant changes taking place in maritime signalling on the Balearic Islands, and the even more revolutionary advances yet to come in the short-term, the then director of the Port of Palma, Rafael Soler Gayá, decided to recover and preserve all the equipment that had been withdrawn from the coastal lighting service. When some of the equipment had been restored by maritime signalling mechanics, the APB decided to place it on display in some of the empty rooms at the Portopí lighthouse. In 1998, following the retirement of the Portopí lighthouse keeper, Pere Bonet, his former living quarters became a part of what would eventually become the exhibition. In 2004, it was decided that the permanent exhibition would be more formal, in concept, as it was given a more informative focus. The exhibition continues to see newly restored material being added on a constant basis.

The Balearic Islands attends the Miami international cruise fair as a leading destination

10/03/2014

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) heads the Balearic expedition to Cruise Shipping Miami, the leading international cruise shipping trade show, held in the North American city from 10th to 13th March. The Balearic Islands visits Miami as Spain’s second most important cruise destination. It also ranks fourth in the Mediterranean, and twelfth in the world. The APB, and a large number of shipping agents from the islands, will also be joined by the Balearic Islands Government, represented by the Balearic Islands Tourism Agency (ATB) and the Directorate-General of Ports and Airports, and the town councils of Mahon and Alcudia. The APB has one of the most important stands within the State-owned Ports Body exhibition area at the show. At Cruise Shipping Miami, the APB’s aim is to continue to boost and market its ports for the 2015-2016 cruise season. “In Miami, our objective is to promote Mahon, Ibiza, and Alcudia as new destinations, and consolidate the Port of Palma, so that cruise ships continue to call at the port as they do now”, pointed out the APB Chairman, Alberto Pons. In 2013, over 1.5 million cruise passengers visited the APB’s ports on 699 calls, which represents an 11% rise over 2012. In terms of individual ports, the Port of Palma was visited by over 1.2 million passengers, which represented a 27% increase compared to the previous season. However, it was the Port of Mahon, with a 78% increase and almost 96,000 visitors, which accounted for the largest rise in cruise traffic. The Balearic Islands’ ports expect to welcome around 1.6 million cruise passengers on over 700 calls in 2014.

The APB approves the terms and conditions for the provision of passenger services at the Balearic Islands’ public-interest ports

07/03/2014

Yesterday afternoon, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands’ (APB) Board of Directors approved the terms and conditions for the provision of passenger services at the five ports it manages, Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza, and La Savina. This marks the end of the process that began with the entry into force of Spanish Law 48/2003, of 26th November, on the economic regulations for and supply of services by public-interest ports, in which this service was envisaged for the first time, and which subsequent amendments to this Law also maintained. To comply with legislation, the APB initiated the administrative procedure for the terms and conditions of this service, taking into account, and aiming to reach a consensus with, the sectors involved. After the approval of the terms and conditions yesterday, any company that meets the stipulated requirements may ask to provide passenger services in competition with the current licence holders. These services include baggage check-in and reclaim, the use of scanners, operating passenger boarding bridges, and boarding for passengers with reduced mobility. The introduction of these terms and conditions regulates a service which is of strategic importance to the APB and to the region, defining and introducing guidelines that measure the quality of the service provided. Accordingly, the quality, safety, security, transparency, and competitiveness of our ports are all enhanced, meeting the demands made by cruise companies for these services. The extra cost involved in improving the quality of this service will be met by the APB, which will introduce a 30% rebate on the passenger charge in the Port Authority’s Business Plan to offset the increase. This measure makes our ports more competitive as it increases service quality without putting up the cost of vessel calls. The forecasts for 2014 estimate that the APB’s earnings will decrease by around €8 million as a result of the reduction in this and other charges.

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands launches web site about the dredging work at the Port of Maó

07/03/2014

Today, on www.portsdebalears.com, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) published the link to the web site created specifically to monitor the dredging work at the Port of Maó. This web is part of its transparency policy established at the beginning of this project, a project which is of vital importance for the island of Minorca’s trading activities. On this web, visitors can follow the schedule and progress of the major aspects of the dredging work, the Environmental Watch Plan reports - supervised by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) -, and the geographical position of the vessels in charge of transporting the dredged material to the authorised discharge point. In addition, it also features the project’s preliminary report, official information about the tender awarded to carry out the work, a summary of the work schedule, and the improvements included to facilitate environmental and archaeological management, oceanographic and meteorological data provided by the State-owned Ports Body, interesting links, and other miscellaneous documents which will be made available and updated as the work progresses. The start of the dredging work has received favourable reports from all the organisations involved in the process, in compliance with current legislation, including the approval of the IEO, through its active participation in monitoring the Environmental Watch Plan. Dredger arrival Two dredgers will be taking part in the project at the Port of Maó. The dipper dredger Von Rocks, will deposit the mud brought up from the seabed onto two hoppers pulled by the tug boat Napia, which will then transfer the mud to the discharge point, and the Neptun Khan, a motor hopper which is currently located to the south of the island of Ibiza, and is being transported by the tug boat, Nervio. The Neptun Khan will be the first dredger to arrive at the Port of Maó. It is scheduled to arrive on Sunday 9th March. On the following day, a metallic mesh will be fitted on board to carry out the archaeological sorting tasks. Immediately afterwards, anti-turbidity barriers will be installed to protect the mussel rafts located near the dredging areas. Then, dredging will start at the quayside on the Levante and Poniente passenger quays.

The Port of Ibiza plans a new seafront which will integrate the port with the city

01/03/2014

Today, via its website, www.portsdebalears.com, the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has announced the project to redesign the Port of Ibiza’s seafront. The objective of the plan, which aims to achieve seamless integration between the port and the city, is to create a square, a bike lane, remove physical barriers between both areas, and restrict vehicle access in the area. In this new urban space, designed for the Ibiza Marina, and agreed by consensus with the Ibiza Town Council, car parks have been removed, only leaving parking spaces that are strictly necessary for cruise passenger services, and marina users. Road access will be restricted to public transport, emergency-service vehicles and supply vehicles. The project envisages the use of high quality, long-lasting construction elements, such as street furniture, pergolas, and other building materials, which are similar to those currently in use in the town of Ibiza, and have been proposed by the Town Council. Building work is scheduled to start on 15th September 2014, and finish in May 2015. The tender has been set at €8 million. Square at Es Martell The APB plans to demolish the current building, at Es Martell, which was the former passenger terminal but is now in disuse. This will enable a pedestrian square with a surface area of almost 5,000m2 to be created. The site will be used to build a new 600 m2 single-storey construction, made up of a 400m2 building and a 200m2 covered area, in which premises to provide marina services, such as storerooms, changing rooms, and offices, will be located, alongside a 130m2 facility set aside for public uses, such as a tourist information office, and toilets, amongst others.