Investment by the Balearic Ports Authority (APB) up to 2021 will be 186 million euros. The president of the APB, Joan Gual, says that the aims of the investment will be to improve service quality rather than to increase traffic. The investment in the five state ports (Palma, Alcudia, Mahon, Ibiza, La Savina) will be self-funding by the ports authority.
In Palma, 21 million euros are to be spent on the Peraires pier and the construction of a berth for cruise ships of 300 metres. In Ibiza, 40 million euros will go on a maritime station and commercial piers. "All the investment in the five ports will lead to a radical change in infrastructure, services, the optimisation of stopovers and the generation of greater business for later reinvestment," explains Gual.
There is to be a general relocation of industrial business, cruise ships and ferries at the Moll Vell, Peraires and Dique del Oeste. The change in uses and services, says Gual, will improve the port's activity and bring the port closer to the city. A further aspect of the latter is the change to traffic on the Paseo Marítimo.
The relocation of the Astilleros Mallorca shipyard to the Moll Vell will take place next year and be operational in 2020. This business has a similar amount of space (80,000 square metres) to STP (Servicios Técnicos Portuarios). Gual stresses the importance of the maintenance business. "It is vital for the future of the port."
Other investment includes six million in La Savina, 6.5 million euros in Mahon and five million for the Maritime Museum.