Tents in the ports of Palma and Ibiza: the urgent solution offered by the APB for migrants sleeping in maritime terminals.

PalmThe Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has set up a tent in the port of Ibiza—next to the Botafoc ferry terminal—and is setting up another in the port of Palma to better serve migrants arriving in the Balearic Islands by boat, who until now had to sleep at ferry terminals while waiting. The goal is for migrants to be able to rest with greater privacy and be cared for without having to live with other travelers.

In recent weeks, the islands' ferry terminals have become a scenario of precariousness and improvisation Due to the arrival of thousands of people by boat—bound for the Peninsula—who have had to sleep in port facilities while waiting for the ferry to depart. Spaces designed as transit points for tourists and passengers have been used as night shelters for people in extremely vulnerable situations, often resulting in discomfort and a lack of dignity.

In the case of Palma, on July 21, migrants were authorized to spend the night at Maritime Station Number 3 (EM3) in the port thanks to an agreement between the APB and the Spanish government delegation. Passengers and humanitarian organizations have criticized this solution, as it is a building whose specific uses make it impossible to properly care for migrants.

For this reason, the APB is erecting a tent on Palma's Ponent dock, while the State will provide modules where migrants can be cleaned and receive all necessary care. In the case of Ibiza, the APB has provided land to develop two modular infrastructures of approximately 500 m² each, one managed by the National Police and the other by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration. The Red Cross will also be involved in the management of these spaces, as it has been awarded a contract to provide state-funded care for migrants. In both Ibiza and Palma, the tents will house the modules that will provide comprehensive care for migrants.

In Formentera, a space has been created within the Casa del Mar building to care for migrants, a solution that has been used on other occasions, while the APB plans to provide a space of approximately 200 m² to address the migration crisis.

The number of people arriving has doubled.

The Balearic Islands have become one of the main entry points for irregular migrants arriving in Europe. Between January and August 2025, nearly 4,800 people arrived by boat, almost double the number in all of 2024. The pace is so intense that in just twenty days in August, some 1,500 people were counted, the majority coming from Algeria, one of the busiest routes currently.

The migration crisis has sparked a major political confrontation between the Spanish government and the government of Marga Prohens, who has criticized the lack of support from Madrid to address the situation. The Spanish government has installed these port infrastructures to ensure that migrants in traffic to the Peninsula have minimum conditions, while Prohens is preparing an emergency reception center in the former Son Tous barracks, specifically for minors.

On the other hand, the redistribution of migrant children from the Canary Islands has fueled the controversy between Prohens and Madrid. The president has announced that she will resort to the courts to prevent the transfer of migrant children from the Canary Islands, arguing that the islands' reception system cannot take any more pressure. The government is also demanding more financial resources from the state—the two million euros pledged are considered insufficient—and greater coordination at the state and European levels.

Furthermore, Prohens has requested the intervention of Frontex to strengthen maritime control and has opened talks with Brussels to obtain technical and financial support. At the same time, she has brought together the island councils to establish a common strategy to address a phenomenon that, according to her forecasts, could lead to the arrival of up to 12,000 migrants throughout this year.