The APB will adapt the toilets at maritime stations 2 and 5 of the port of Palma for ostomates

The APB will adapt the toilets at maritime stations 2 and 5 of the port of Palma for ostomates

29/03/2022

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will renovate the equipment and infrastructures in the toilets of maritime stations 2 and 5 at the port of Palma. In addition, in order to improve accessibility and quality of life for ostomates, it intends to adapt two toilets for them in the port facilities. The APB has proposed that all port facilities should gradually have adapted toilets. Although there is no specific regulation on the adaptation or necessary requirements of these facilities, the APB is relying on the recommendations of the Balearic Association of Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis and Ostomy Patients (ABACCO). This is a group of around 4,000 people in the Balearic Islands, out of the140,000 there are throughout Spain, which increase by around 13,000 every year. Yolanda Fernández, president of ABACCO, values the initiative very positively, since having an adapted toilet “means peace of mind and alleviates the anguish of ostomates, who will be able to empty their pouches without the risk of leaks or accidents”. In many cases, the lack of such infrastructure “prevents patients from even leaving the house”. These needs become even more vital in a transport environment like a port, where people have to stay for some time before or after a long journey. For years, the association has been working closely with the public administration, proposing NLP, giving visibility to the pathologies that lead to ostomies and signing agreements with local councils and other administrations. As for the toilets, the association proposes to locate them in accessible places, that privacy is guaranteed and that they should have washbasins so that the device can be replaced hygienically, as well as a table or support area for the ostomates to prepare the material they need. In addition, a toilet at the level of the abdomen, a water point with a hygienic shower for washing the pouch and a mirror at a suitable height and size for changing it are required. Complete refurbishment The toilets to be refurbished present different problems due to deterioration from use and the absence of essential accessories, such as baby changing tables and other items. The tender budget amounts to 498,070 euros. The work will take 3 months to complete. The deadline for receiving bids is 1 April 2022. Interested parties may submit their applications through the APB e-Tendering Portal.

Transport and infrastructure Environment and CSR
The cruise pier in the port of Maó will have a new children’s playground

The cruise pier in the port of Maó will have a new children’s playground

16/03/2022

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will install a children’s playground on the cruise ship quay in the port of Maó. It will be enclosed by fences and will have a safety floor. It will have a marine theme, including a Santa Maria ship, whale and fish shaped piers, a fortress tower and four activity panels. It is aimed at encouraging port-city interaction through social activities for all, at the same time as being compatible with port activity, both for local residents and port users. Architectural barriers The work also includes the elimination of architectural barriers on pavements. Therefore, the pavements around the APB buildings in Maó will be remodelled in order to eliminate an existing step that extends the entire length of their central axis, in Moll de Ponent and Moll de Llevant streets. This is in line with the APB’s CSR policy, which includes the progressive elimination of architectural barriers to make them a safe place to suit the abilities of all users of the port’s infrastructures. The tender budget amounts to 464,380 euros. The work will last 3 months. The deadline for receiving bids is 6 April 2022. Interested parties may submit their applications through the APB e-Tendering Portal.

Transport and infrastructure Environment and CSR
APB begins adjusting the landscaping in the Ribera and Botafoc quays

APB begins adjusting the landscaping in the Ribera and Botafoc quays

15/03/2022

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will replace 5,281 plants on the Ribera and Botafoc quays of the port of Eivissa. The lack of water, the salt winds and the average temperatures of the port area mean that the plant species must be resistant and adapted to the Mediterranean climate of the seashore, so low-maintenance perennial plants that provide different textures and colours throughout most of the year can always be found. At the same time, medium maintenance gardening criteria will be standardised in the Ribera quay area, as well as the choice of suitable seasonal plants that will provide an ornamental image throughout each season of the year, including important events such as Christmas, and that will increase the amount of flowers during the peak tourist season. Thanks to this intervention, particular focus will be given to garden maintenance as a result of the works carried out on the Ribera quay and areas devoid of plants will be adapted. The budget amounts to 79,000 euros and will employ eight people. A maximum period of one year has been set for this from the start of the work, which will begin tomorrow, Tuesday,15 March. Within one month, all planting will have been completed, while the following three months will be devoted to monitoring how the plants are faring. Seasonal plants will be supplied for the rest of the year.

Transport and infrastructure
Antonia Salas, the first administrative officer of the Port Council

Antonia Salas, the first administrative officer of the Port Council

08/03/2022

Throughout history, many women have fought for a prominent place in a world that seemed to be dominated by men. Many improvements and customs have changed over the years thanks to their efforts which, in one way or another, have marked a before and after. For some of them, history has reserved an outstanding place for great contributions. Others have made their mark in a more anonymous but equally definitive way. This is the case of Antonia Salas Gilet, the first woman to occupy an administrative post on what was then known as the Board of the Port of Palma, the initial institution of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands. Coinciding with Women's Day, we talked about this exceptional woman with her daughter, Gabriela Tous, also a former worker at the Port of Palma. Gabriela remembers the family atmosphere among the workers, the parties with the rest of the Public Works employees, life in the port... In 1965, they moved to the Vell quay to live, a period that she remembers as being a wonderful time. It was 1940. A young Antonia was working in the family business, Casa Gilet, as a typing teacher. Her work was already well known: Her writings stood out for their neatness and clarity. Even more so: In 1933, she had achieved the maximum number of keystrokes in the 2nd Typing Competition in Palma de Mallorca. As was customary at that time, the Port Board asked Casa Gilet for a clerk to work on a specific project. Shortly afterwards, she became indispensable and was offered a permanent position. Thus, in January 1945, at a time when the only women hired in the administrations worked as cleaners, Antonia became the first career civil servant of the Port Board and probably one of the first in Spain, as far as she knew. In fact, it would take another 20 years for the second woman to join the Port Board as an administrator. And what about her mother? “She was brave, ahead of her time, a pioneer in many respects,” recalls Gabriela. Her relationship with her male colleagues was splendid, so much so that Gabriela remembers them as a big family, like her uncles: “My mother always felt good in this atmosphere”. Those were difficult times for a working woman, and even more so for balancing professional and private lives: There was no provision for pregnancy leave, and women were discharged a few days after giving birth, having to return to their jobs. In 1980, the year in which she retired, she was recognised for her 40 years of dedication to the public administration. But surely Antonia Salas’ greatest satisfaction was how proud of her family felt and still feel today. A woman who stood up to stereotypes and broke down barriers to excel in her profession. And, most importantly, she blazed a trail.

History
The APB and Palma Council revalidate the agreement for fire protection and fire fighting, rescue and public safety for the port of Palma

The APB and Palma Council revalidate the agreement for fire protection and fire fighting, rescue and public safety for the port of Palma

07/03/2022

Further strengthening of cooperation between the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) and Palma Council, through the signing of an agreement on fire protection and fire fighting, rescue and public safety in the port of Palma. The aim of the agreement is to increase the technical collaboration of the APB and the Bombers I Bomberes de (Palma Fire Brigade) in order to raise safety levels in the port area of Palma and to make the most of the resources and means available. The president of the APB, Francesc Antich, and the mayor of Palma, José Hila, formalised the new agreement, in a ceremony in which the director of the APB, Jorge Nasarre the head of the APB’s Safety and Protection Division, Josep Aubareda the councillor for Public Safety, Joana M. Adrover the general director of the area, Gloria Nieto and the coordinator of the Fire Department, Àlex Bergas, also took part. The president of the APB, Francesc Antich, highlighted “the opportunity to benefit from an agreement that has been working very well for over 20 years”, and valued the continuity of the agreement between the institutions to ensure “an optimal level of safety in the port area and optimisation of public resources”. Furthermore, the mayor of Palma, José Hila, said that the reissue of this collaboration “confirms the good work carried out” between the two administrations, which “has achieved such good results” in the past. Hila stressed that one of the fundamental aspects of this agreement is to carry out training and drills in the event of an emergency, such as “the manoeuvre carried out a few weeks ago” in which corporals and fire-fighters took part in a scenario involving a fire in a gas tank “which became more complicated every minute”. “In the end, this type of collaboration results in a better public service,” he said. Therefore, the APB will provide the staff of the Palma Fire Brigade with material and a specific training programme for urban, industrial and port emergencies, with a budget of 90,000 euros for the next 4 years. The new agreement also includes a command vehicle for the Palma Fire Brigade, with a budget of approximately 80,000 euros. Internal Emergency Plan (IEP) The port of Palma has an Interior Emergency Plan (IEP) drawn up by the APB, which considers the Palma Fire Brigade as an intervention group that provides emergency assistance, extinguishing fires on land and on boats, intervening in civil protection operations, evacuation tasks, land rescue operations and participating in drills, among others. The first cooperation agreement dates back to 2001. The last one was signed in 2012 and ended on 1 October 2021. The new agreement establishes that the APB will finance training, specific means and a command vehicle for the Palma Fire Brigade, in exchange for the commitment to attend to emergencies occurring in the port, as an integral part of its Internal Emergency Plan, under the direction of the APB.

Technology and innovation Port-city Environment and CSR
APB staff and their families participate in the collection of plastic waste on Can Pere Antoni beach in Palma

APB staff and their families participate in the collection of plastic waste on Can Pere Antoni beach in Palma

03/03/2022

Today, a group of volunteers took part in a day of awareness-raising and coastal clean-up at Can Pere Antoni beach in Palma. This is an initiative organised by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) and Ports IB, which under the slogan “In the sea, leave no trace behind you”, aims to raise public awareness of the serious environmental problem represented by waste left in the natural environment and its impact on the flora and fauna. From 26 February to 1 March, family workshops with talks and waste characterisation campaigns are being offered at different ports on the islands by the LIBERA project. Created in 2017 by the NGO SEO/BirdLife in alliance with Ecoembes, this project is intended to raise awareness and mobilise citizens to keep the natural environment free of waste. This weekend events already took place in Sant Antoni de Portmany, La Savina and Ciutadella, while today they are scheduled in Palma and tomorrow Portocristo. The aim is to involve all citizens and explain the role that everyone has to play in preventing pollution and protecting the natural environments of the Balearic Islands.

Environment and CSR 150th anniversary
The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands and Ports IB join forces to raise awareness of waste left in natural environment on the occasion of Balearic Islands Day

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands and Ports IB join forces to raise awareness of waste left in natural environment on the occasion of Balearic Islands Day

25/02/2022

On the occasion of the Balearic Islands Day and with the slogan “In the sea leave no trace behind you”, Ports de les Illes Balears and the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands have joined forces this year to raise awareness among the citizens of all the islands of the serious environmental problem of waste left in the natural environment and its impact on flora and fauna. For this reason, between 26 February and 1 March, family workshops with talks and waste characterisation campaigns will be offered by the LIBERA project in different ports of the Balearic Islands. Created in 2017 by the NGO SEO/BirdLife in alliance with Ecoembes, this project is intended to raise awareness and mobilise citizens to keep the natural environment free of waste. The aim is to involve all citizens and explain the role that everyone has to play in preventing pollution and protecting the natural environments of the Balearic Islands. The following events have been scheduled: On Saturday, 26 February, there will be two events: one at the maritime station of the port of Sant Antoni de Portmany and the other at the port of La Savina Sunday, 27 February, in the old port of Ciutadella in front of the Ports de les Illes Balears offices Monday 28, at the institutional headquarters of the APB in the port of Palma Tuesday, 1 March, in Portocristo Two family sessions will be held in each port at 11:30 am and 12:30 pm. Those interested in participating can register using this form.

Environment and CSR
The APB puts out a tender for a nautical-sports marina and another for larger mooring spaces in the port of Maó

The APB puts out a tender for a nautical-sports marina and another for larger mooring spaces in the port of Maó

24/02/2022

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has agreed today in a session held in Palma to put out to tender two authorizations to manage recreational nautical moorings in the port of Maó. One is aimed primarily at promoting water sports and another for larger mooring spaces. To do this, it will split into two the untitled space that the Trapsayates company currently occupies, for which an eviction notice has been served. Firstly, it has been agreed to put out to tender the management of a nautical-sports facility for 165boats, eight to fifteen metres long, between the area known as sa Punta des Rellotge and es Gatassus, on the Levante quay of the port of Maó. In this facility, special attention will be paid to the promotion and teaching of the sport. The space, with an area of 19,167squaremetres of water and 698squaremetres of land, has four floating and occasionally piloted pontoons. It also includes an esplanade and a quay beside it, intended for the mooring of light boats for training, sports, and non-profit-making educational, social and cultural activities. The duration of the authorisation will be two years, with the possibility of extending it for a maximum of three years. The annual occupancy rate for improvement will be 160,862.00euros. Larger mooring spaces The second tender to be launched on the Levante quay of the port of Maó comprises 32metres of quay line and a pontoon (also floating and occasionally piloted) located at the Punta de Cala Figuera. In this case, the authorisation will be for two years - extendable up to a maximum of three years - of an area of 22,188squaremetres of water to provide services to around 30vessels of up to 60metres in length. The annual occupancy rate for improvement will be 192,706.00euros.

Socio-economic development Transport and infrastructure
The management of moorings and premises in the Poniente dock of the port of La Savina, which includes rearrangement of space, is put out to tender

The management of moorings and premises in the Poniente dock of the port of La Savina, which includes rearrangement of space, is put out to tender

24/02/2022

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) agreed today in a session held in Palma to approve the specifications and clauses that will govern the public tender for the management of mooring places and premises in the inner western dock of the port of La Savina. The tender is for a one-year administrative authorisation, with the possibility of extending it for a maximum period of three years. The tender conditions establish the management of a total surface area of 13,408 square metres, of which 9,183 square metres correspond to water and the rest to land. It also includes the management of three buildings for commercial activities, as well as a fuel supply station for pleasure boats. The annual amount of the occupancy rate for improvement will be 507,786.90euros. Rearrangement of the space In the same session, it was agreed to relocate the embarkation and disembarkation of passenger from the excursion boats to the vicinity of the maritime station. Specifically in a space that is currently part of the concession granted at the time to the company Marina de Formentera SA, which ends on 27 May. Thus, the new authorisation to be put out to tender will exclude this area of the port, but instead will include the area of water that will be free in the Pantalán dock and Ribera dock with the transfer of the excursion boats. This space is intended for the management of moorings of up to six metres in length, which in high season - and at the request of the Consell Insular de Formentera - could be used for nautical charter boats. This rearrangement of the space is compatible with the current planning instruments of the port of La Savina and with the new Special Plan - which is currently being processed - as well as with the current layout of the recently built promenade at the port. Prior to these agreements and in the same session, the Board of Directors of the APB denied the request for the extension of the concession for three and a half years submitted by Marina de Formentera, SA for this public port space, enabling its redevelopment and the tender for a new authorisation for the management of moorings.

Transport and infrastructure Socio-economic development
The APB shows the main lines of activity at the ports through a comic strip

The APB shows the main lines of activity at the ports through a comic strip

21/02/2022

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) presents Las puertas del mar. A journey through the ports of general interest in the Balearic Islands. This is a book in comic format that gives you a brief entertaining and educational account of the key role played by the ports of Palma, Alcúdia, Maó, Eivissa and La Savina in the supply for the population, promotion of economic activity in their surroundings, and the historical development of the region. Coinciding with the 150th anniversary of the port organisation, the APB has just published this work developed by the Clúster de Cómics i Nous Mèdia de Mallorca, with illustrations by authors of recognised prestige in the world of comics, such as Linhart, Jaume Balaguer, Álex Fito, Canizales and Flavia Gargiulo. The texts are written by Verbigracia and Flavia Gargiulo. In the words of the President of the APB, Francesc Antich, it is “a tool that takes an educational tour of the ports in a fresh and light-hearted way”, and is also “a warning of their important role as an instrument that allows us to supply our islands with goods and give them connectivity”. The book is intended for all audiences and stresses the irreplaceable role of the ports of general interest as economic drivers and key elements for the supply of the Balearic Islands. It also focuses on publicising the main ships operating in our ports, with special attention to the regular ferries, and on giving visibility to the work of the most recognised port trades, activities and agents in the port community. It also reviews the history of port evolution, the distinguishing features of each of the five ports and their port-city relationship. Finally, the work carried out by the APB in the management of maritime signals and the commitment undertaken to implement technological advances to improve the service offered to users, and in the fight against climate change. Paper and digital format During the month of February, 15,000 copies in paper format were distributed free of charge to all APB staff, to educational centres in the Balearic Islands, to public libraries in the autonomous community and to a large group of representatives of the Balearic port community. The book has been produced with paper from responsible sources, the inks used to print the book are ecological and of vegetable origin, and the use of plastics has been avoided in the packaging of the copies. It is available to everyone in digital format at www.portsdebalears.com and contains detailed maps of the ports and educational fact sheets for children.

150th anniversary Port-city
The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands and Port de Barcelona share experiences in environmental and port innovation projects

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands and Port de Barcelona share experiences in environmental and port innovation projects

10/02/2022

The president of Port de Barcelona, Damià Calvet, and part of his management team were in the port of Palma today on a working visit to the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands, where they held several meetings with the president Francesc Antich and technicians from the general interest ports of the islands. At today’s session, they shared experiences in environmental concerns and port innovation. On Friday, the meeting is scheduled to take place in Barcelona, where they will continue exchanging knowledge, this time on energy transition projects and the use of alternative fuels in ports. Damià Calvet signed the book of honour and received a plaque from Francesc Antich to commemorate the visit, which coincides with the 150th anniversary of the Balearic port organisation. At today’s meeting, both working teams shared their own projects that may be of interest to the other port authority. The teams from the Balearic Islands presented the initiatives carried out to create nautical innovation nodes for the circular economy or the participation of the port in the Marine Pole of the New Levante District of Palma. Port de Barcelona then detailed its innovation policy and the procedures for bringing innovation to the port community, as well as making proposals for collaboration in the Mediterranean Corridor or in the Ports 4.0 capital fund promoted by Puertos del Estado. In terms of the environment, joint projects and initiatives related to emissions, dumping, waste, consumption, as well as the implementation of the environmental policy and strategy, were proposed. Visit to the port of Palma The two delegations then toured the port of Palma to get a closer and more detailed look at the large-scale nautical facilities, the boat repair and maintenance industry, as well as the moorings used for nautical charters and pleasure boats. The tour continued through the different terminals for cruise ship traffic, fuel unloading, solid bulk traffic and regular ferry lines, ending with a visit to the fishermen’s wharf.

Technology and innovation
The president of Puertos del Estado visits the port of Palma

The president of Puertos del Estado visits the port of Palma

07/02/2022

The president of Puertos del Estado, Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena, made an institutional visit to the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) this morning, accompanied by its president, Francesc Antich and his management team, as part of the round of contacts he is making with the managers of the ports of general interest of the State Port System. After signing the APB’s book of honour, Rodríguez Dapena received a commemorative mosaic from Antich to mark the visit, which coincides with the 150th anniversary of the APB. They then toured the port of Palma, visiting the new medium and low voltage electricity supply infrastructure that enables berthed ferries to reduce gas emissions and noise generated by their engines during stopovers and disembarkation and embarkation operations. A technological advance that the president of Puertos del Estado has described as innovative and which the president of the APB considers part of “the commitment assumed by the ports in their fight against climate change”. After meeting with the APB management committee, with whom he learned first-hand about the projects and challenges affecting the ports of Palma, Alcudia, Maó, Eivissa and La Savina, he held a meeting with some of the main port operators on the islands. Environment, sustainability and island uniqueness Among the topics discussed was the identification of the APB’s strategic plan with the guidelines and general terms of the Strategic Framework of the Spanish port system, both of which are expected to be approved in 2022. Among the central themes of the presentation were the application of sustainable management and ecological transition policies, as well as the transformation of port terminals to be powered exclusively by renewable energies. The need to adapt structures and human resources to the unique management of five ports on four islands, the organisation of regular passenger and goods transport lines, the opportunity to promote more sustainable cruise tourism, the situation of the nautical sector and the boat repair and maintenance industry, as well as the future developments of the port of Palma, were other aspects dealt with by the technicians of the APB and the port community of the Balearic Islands.

150th anniversary Environment and CSR Port-city Technology and innovation Transport and infrastructure Socio-economic development