The nautical sector cluster applauds the new waterfront project, but it must ensure the survival and daily operations of the primary economic activity of the Port of Palma, as well as address the medium- and long-term needs of the sector
Balearic Marine Cluster (BMC) has sent the Balearic Port Authority (APB) a list of 8 points based on technical requirements to be considered when implementing the Master Plan for the Port of Palma.
BMC President, Toni Salom, stated, “We believe that the new plan could delay the availability of necessary spaces and infrastructure by six to ten years, preventing us from competing on equal footing with other destinations. That’s why we have submitted these points to be considered and to improve our competitiveness.”
“The nautical sector is doing everything in its power to ensure that this project is as widely accepted as possible. At Balearic Marine Cluster, we hope that the Plan receives the greatest possible consensus among all stakeholders involved, especially between the government and the opposition, as it is crucial to guarantee continuity for this project,” he added.
Meanwhile, BMC Manager, Pedro Suasi, noted, “While the nautical repair industry in the Balearic Autonomous Community has remained limited to 1,700 tons since 1968, other competing national destinations are operating with capacities between 4,000 and 5,000 tons, which makes us far less competitive when offering these services to companies. We must advocate for change in this area to continue providing stable and high-quality jobs for the people of the islands.”
For this reason, Balearic Marine Cluster has requested the President of the Port Authority to consider the following aspects:
- Ensure the water area allocated for ship repair and maintenance as outlined in the previous Palma Port plan.
- Guarantee the square meters for ship repair from the previous Palma Port plan.
- Ensure that the new areas dedicated to ship repair and maintenance include sufficient workshops and offices to meet the sector’s needs.
- Ensure that daily ship repair and maintenance operations are not impacted by the daily operations of merchant ships.
- Guarantee enough parking spaces for workers in the area and the sector.
- Ensure dedicated spaces for workers’ well-being.
- Ensure that public transport services are scaled to meet the mobility needs of the Palma Port area.
- Ensure that docked vessels are sheltered from wind and waves, as this could affect the operability of the ships.
