The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) bans 'party boats' on the swallows and demands a ten million euro investment in the Portitxol Nautical Club.
This decision reflects a commitment to the residents of the area, who in recent months have complained about noise and disturbances caused by some tourists.
PalmThe Board of Directors of the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) has agreed, at a meeting held in the port of Palma, to launch a public tender for the management of moorings at the local traffic terminal for vessels popularly known as "golondrinas" (swallows), which will include a ban on carrying out party boatsFurthermore, the council itself has approved granting a 15-year extension to the Portitxol Nautical Club, until 2040, and incorporating approximately 12,000 additional square meters of water surface to reorganize and expand the marina and nautical services of the facility. Regarding the management of the local traffic terminal, the concession also includes the management of two moorings designated for the Nautical Bus service. In the new concession, located on the Palma seafront, service will only be provided to vessels on the second list, that is, merchant ships for the transport of people, and those included in the tourist registry of the Island Council of Mallorca that allow them to organize parties or dances on board with music, known as [unspecified activity], are expressly excluded.party boats.
Commitment to the neighbors
This decision, adopted by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), responds to the port's commitment to local residents, who in recent months have complained to the port authority about noise and disturbances caused by some tourists using the small boats. In line with this commitment, the APB plans to approve a civic ordinance soon to regulate public behavior in the port's public areas. The draft ordinance is currently open for public comment. APB President Javier Sanz stated that "acts of vandalism, a feeling of overcrowding, and a negative image of the port and the city are among the other complaints residents have brought to our attention, which the APB intends to address." Furthermore, the APB Board of Directors also agreed to grant a 15-year extension to the Portitxol Nautical Club. The agreement also entails modifying the concession to incorporate over twelve thousand additional square meters of water surface, which will allow for the reorganization and expansion of the marina and the club's nautical services. With the extension, the concession will now run until December 15, 2040, and is contingent upon the club undertaking a total investment of approximately ten million euros. The project proposed by the Portitxol Yacht Club includes significant improvements to port infrastructure, such as the reorganization of the inner marina, the creation of an outer marina with new pontoons and a breakwater, a new slipway, upgrades to port facilities, buoyage systems, dredging, and safety plans.
In sporting matters, the club is committed to strengthening its social and educational role, maintaining its focus on teaching sailing, promoting grassroots sports, and providing social access to small boats, all on a non-profit basis and with reduced rates. For the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB), this profile aligns with the facility model that the Portitxol redevelopment aims to preserve.
Port-city integration
Port-city integration is another key aspect of the approved extension. The project includes actions aimed at improving pedestrian connectivity, eliminating physical barriers, and reorganizing service areas to facilitate a more open relationship with the urban environment. Some of these actions can be coordinated with urban development projects planned by the Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) for roads and promenades in the area. In the environmental sphere, the Portitxol Yacht Club (CN Portitxol) must implement advanced waste management measures, quality control, and environmental monitoring, as well as ensure that any action requiring it has a favorable report on compatibility with marine strategies before the project's technical approval. With this extension, the APB guarantees the continuity of the Portitxol Yacht Club's sports and social services, now adapted to the needs of the future reorganization of the port area and the sustainability and environmental improvement objectives set by the port authority.
