The APB moves to its new offices in the Port of Palma

The APB moves to its new offices in the Port of Palma

15/10/2012

Today the APB moved into its new office building at the Port of Palma. Practically all the Port Authority’s administrative staff are now installed under the same roof instead of being in different buildings as they have been up until now. This means that all the customer services, which were previously located in different places, are now centralised in the new headquarters. This will make administrative management more efficient as users will be attended to in the same building. The new building has three main features. On one hand, it preserves the symbolic elements of the Old Quay as the façade of the former Trasmediterránea building has been maintained. Secondly, the building is environmentally sustainable as it has been adapted to take advantage of natural resources. And finally, it has been constructed to ensure coherent urban planning between the port and the city by avoiding overground vehicle parking as far as possible with the construction of an underground car park. The investment for this project totalled around €16.3 million and was financed entirely with the APB’s own funds. The construction of the new building provided direct employment to an average of 35 people over a period of 24 months, although at certain peak periods there were 96 people working on the project.

Cruise companies with small and medium length ships visit the Balearic and ports on a fam trip

Cruise companies with small and medium length ships visit the Balearic and ports on a fam trip

14/09/2012

The APB has organized, in coordination with the Spanish Tourist Office in Miami, a familiarization trip (fam trip) of the Balearic Islands in order to expose them as tourist destinations to the major, internationally known cruise lines of small and median length ships. Representatives from a total of three cruise companies will visit the islands this week and make contacts with different institutions concerned with tourism. Collaborating with the organization of this fam trip are the Tourism Agency of the Balearic Islands (ATB), the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of the Balearic Islands, the Council of Formentera, the municipal governments of Palma, Alcudia, Mahon and Ibiza, the Fundació Destí Menorca, the Palma 365 Foundation and other companies active in this sector of the industry. Besides getting to know the port facilities and projects that APB has launched to boost cruise traffic in each of its ports, the delegation will make trips to the different islands. Thus, representatives of Paul Gauguin Cruises, Crystal Cruises and Silversea Cruises will visit the ports of Alcudia and Palma and the island of Majorca on the 17th and 20th of September, the port and the island of Ibiza on the 18th, the port of La Savina and the island of Formentera on the 19th, and finally conclude their tour with a visit to the port of Mahon and Minorca on the 21st. This initiative is in response to the permanent contact the APB maintains as a promoter of the Balearic Islands as an international tourist destination for cruise ships. In fact, the plan for this expedition was finalized at the latest edition of the Cruise Shipping Miami Convention, the international fair of the world´s largest cruise companies, which is celebrated in this American city every March. Companies from the tourism sector which took part in this initiative were: Intercruises, Iberoservice, BC Tours, Baleària, Trasmapi, Meliá Hotels, Hotel Ushuaia Beach, Grupo Pacha, Cova d´en Xoroi, Son Martorellet, Cipriani restaurants, Nàutic and BLD de es Baluard, the Fort of San Felipe in es Castell and the Majorca Cathedral.

Several Duty Free locations up for tender at the port of Palma

Several Duty Free locations up for tender at the port of Palma

10/09/2012

The port of Palma has tendered the operation of several public premises located at Ferry Terminals 1 and 4, and at the existing building on the platform attached to the Dique del Oeste dock, for the installation of duty free shops, known as Duty Free. The total area to be tendered amounts to two hundred and ninety square meters distributed unevenly, to provide services for retail sales for a period of less than five years and a fee to improve of 155,246.75 euros. These stores are designed to respond to a million cruise tourists annually visiting the port of Palma.

The APB offers three business options at the port of Palma

The APB offers three business options at the port of Palma

01/09/2012

The APB is currently offering three opportunities with favorable conditions for entrepreneurs who wish to start restaurant and catering businesses in the port of Palma. These three sites, suitable for cafes, are located at the Can Barbarà dock, used for local traffic and tourist boats at the fort of San Carlos Castle. At the Can Barbarà dock the available location has about 200 square meters and was the former port bathhouse. The fees are established at about 23,600 euros, plus VAT, under the concept of a public port and an operating license. The holding period for the new concession is a maximum of ten years. At the old military battery of San Carlos, located at the Dique del Oeste dock, a new tender is expected, due out shortly. The proposal seeks to provide a cafeteria and a tourist information desk in the old advanced battery of San Carlos, recently restored by the APB. This competition, which will offer between 10 and 15 years of operation, aims to provide a new urban space, open to both citizens and passengers of cruise ships, to admire the view of the bay of Palma, from an area which has been until now inaccessible to the public. Regarding the existing cafeteria and parking at the dock known as the Golondrina Dock, the APB has announced another contest in which the annual operating fee has been reduced by 68% from that of former operator. The new manager will have to pay something in excess of 109,000 euros. Besides the bar with terrace that faces the moorings of the tourist boats, the concessionaire may also exploit the 90 parking spaces and existing payment system.

European legislation improving air quality in the port of Palma

European legislation improving air quality in the port of Palma

21/08/2012

The sulfur dioxide levels in the port of Palma have been reduced by 66% as a result of European policies aimed at improving the quality of the air we breathe in Europe. Sulfur dioxide is a major air pollutant that causes acid rain and generates fine dust. This dust is dangerous to human health as it causes respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. A team of EU-funded researchers has shown that the observed reduction is a direct result of the application of Directive 1999/32/EC of the European Union, which imposes limits on the sulfur content of fuels used by ships at berth or anchored at ports of its territory and which came into effect in January 2010. The four Mediterranean ports that were investigated were Civitavecchia, Savona, Palma de Mallorca and Tunisia.

General cargo traffic recovers after five years of decline

General cargo traffic recovers after five years of decline

15/08/2012

Total traffic in ports of general interest of the Balearic Islands has increased for the first time since 2007, thanks largely to the rise in general cargo transport. In the first six months of this year the total freight traffic has seen an increase of five percent, 5.8 million tonnes compared to 5.6 recorded in the same period of 2011. For ports, Palma is the fastest-rising, as freight is up 10 percent. The port of La Savina in Formentera has also registered an increase of one per cent, while that of Eivissa is down one percent and Mahon has dropped 23 percent. The significant drop registered in the Mahon port is due to competition following the launch of the new Ciutadella dock Ander PortsIB. It is the first semester since 2007 that growth has been recorded in this section, although in 2011 it was positive throughout the year with a slight increase of 0.99%.

Apertura al paso de peatones y al tráfico rodado del vial de acceso al dique y al faro del Botafoc

Apertura al paso de peatones y al tráfico rodado del vial de acceso al dique y al faro del Botafoc

12/08/2012

El puerto de Eivissa anuncia la apertura del vial de acceso al dique y al faro del Botafoc al paso de peatones y al tráfico rodado de vehículos, restringido desde principio de este año, a consecuencia de las tareas de construcción de los nuevos muelles del Botafoc.El vial remodelado está formado por dos calzadas de dos carriles cada una, una acera para peatones de seis metros de anchura y un carril bici de dos. No obstante, de forma temporal y a consecuencia también de las obras, se pondrá en servicio sólo el carril bici, la acera y la calzada más alejada del mar, que funcionará con un carril de sentido entrada y otro de salida.Para la construcción de la calzada se han empleado adoquines anti-ruido que generan unas emisiones sonoras mínimas al paso de los vehículos. El vial contará con elementos apropiados de iluminación e incorporará mobiliario urbano acorde con la estética del entorno.Además, se desarrollará un detallado programa de revegetación en aquellos espacios no dedicados al tráfico de vehículos y peatones, con la finalidad de lograr la máxima integración paisajística de las obras efectuadas y proteger el suelo de fenómenos erosivos.

@PortsdeBalears, the new port information channel on Twitter

@PortsdeBalears, the new port information channel on Twitter

08/08/2012

The APB has launched its official Twitter account as a direct channel of information through which the user can catch up on current events and the most salient information generated by the ports of general interest of the State in the Balearic Islands. The twitter account @PortsdeBalears provides statistical information regarding passenger and freight traffic, official announcements, the presence of cruise ships and unique vessels, interesting facts about the Balearic ports and information of all kinds related to the labor of the APB.

The port of Maó participates in the installation of Portmô Mariner’s Market

The port of Maó participates in the installation of Portmô Mariner’s Market

13/07/2012

The port of Maó will participate in the celebration of the Portmô Mariner’s Market in honor of the Virgin Del Carmen. The initiative, promoted by the city of Maó, offers the public during the13th, 14th and 15th of July, a series of shows in the area of the craft market, which is installed on the passenger pier in the port. Sales of handicrafts and gastronomic products, musical acts, theater, circus performances, etc, will provide an enjoyable experience and promote the port as a center of commercial activation, with the collaboration of the port of Maó.

The APB installs three pergolas to provide shade for cruise passengers who visit the center of Palma

The APB installs three pergolas to provide shade for cruise passengers who visit the center of Palma

12/07/2012

The APB and the city of Palma, through the Palma de Mallorca 365 Tourism Foundation, have worked together in implementing various projects for the improvement of the seawall road in the port of Palma and the access from there to city center with the objective of renovating one of the major focal points for cruise ship tourists. This initiative responds to a request made to the APB by the municipal area of tourism on the basis of a contribution of one hundred thousand euros that the managing body of the port of Palma is required to make annually. The work involved the installation of three modules of pergolas in the pedestrian zone of the seawall road, giving the tourists protection from the sun when they get off the bus to start their tour of the city or while they wait. These works were executed by the APB in fulfillment of its commitment with the Palma City Council as of the time it initiated its function as employer of Palma de Mallorca 365 Tourism Foundation. This initiative is the first of the annual contributions from APB to the Foundation. The pergolas are formed by structures made of wooden slats and modular galvanized steel frames which incorporate night lighting along the route.

The port of Maó allows recreational fishing for licensed fishermen

The port of Maó allows recreational fishing for licensed fishermen

13/06/2012

The port of Maó has decided to delimit the areas where recreational fishing is allowed for fishermen licensed by the Regional Department of Economics the Department of Environment and Hunting of the Insular Council of Minorca, with the following requirements: Fishing from the docks It is prohibited to fish from the docks of Cós Nou, Colársega, -including the slipway area- on the Poniente Docks (except for the walls of the jetties in front of the Casa del Mar and the Levant and Commercial Docks (ferry terminal and passenger pier ). It prohibits casting of lines when using rod and reel which could cause harm to others. Fishermen may not leave traces of their activity on the dock or undertake any action which will disturb the occupants of nearby boats. The placement of the rods may not affect the docked boats or users who walk through the pedestrian zones. Also fishing is prohibited, except with a fixed pole, in those areas of the docks where there are groups of boats moored, to prevent the remains of hooks from getting entangled in mooring components and doing possible damage to people on the boats. Fishing boats It is prohibited to fish from boats in the transit zone area between Punta de Cala Rata, Punta de Cala Figuera and Colársega. Nor is fishing permitted from boats anchored in the access channels or where anchoring is prohibited. In any case, it is mandatory at all times to follow the instructions given by staff of the Balearic Port Authority and other agencies. Attached is a map of the different affected areas.