Maó successfully celebrates ‘Viu el port’ day

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) is very pleased with the response of the Minorcan population to the first edition of the Open Port Day in the port of Maó, which has had a great participation of all publics.

More than forty public, private and non-profit organisations were involved in the festival in the port, which brought the general public closer to the activities of the ports of general interest and the lighthouses.

The president of the APB, Javier Sanz, said he was ‘satisfied and surprised by the large number of people and the interest we have awakened in the port, which is what we really wanted’. Sanz emphasised the numerous activities of various kinds and the displays of port trades which have been concentrated on various sites, ‘which are the soul of the port, which is what interests us’.

The event was presided over by President Sanz, accompanied by the Mayor of Maó, Héctor Pons, the Mayor of es Castell, Lluís Camps, the Councillor for the Sea and Water Cycle of the Government of the Balearic Islands, Juan Manuel Lafuente, and the President of the Consell Insular de Menorca, Adolfo Vilafranca.

Among all the activities, the APB trophy, which counts towards the Balearic OCR cruiser championship, stands out. A sailing event, organised by the Club Marítimo, that has departed from the same area, right in front of the public at the cruising dock. The maritime activities such as visits to ships, Maritime Rescue, moorings and tugs have had a lot of acceptance. The visits to the Favàritx Lighthouse, to the fishing dock, to the naval station of the port of Maó, and the military fortifications of la Mola and Marlborough, the Rey’s island, the “mejilloneras” and the excursions with swallows along the port have had a lot of expectation.

There have also been activities for children organized by the Local Police of Maó, the 112 emergency service, the Menorca Fire Department, and the Port Police, which have drawn a lot of attention from the youngest members of the family.

Port Festa–Viu el Port is an initiative launched by the APB in 2023 at the Port of Palma. This year, it was held at the Port of Maó, and next year it is expected to take place at the Port of Eivissa, before moving on to the ports of Alcúdia and La Savina. This initiative is part of the port authority’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy, aiming to unify and strengthen the identity and culture of the ports and to serve as a model for other individuals and companies operating within its facilities.