Marina Ibiza and Marina Port de Mallorca bring environmental education to children and young people

The two marinas, both part of IPM-IMG Marine Group, hosted educational environmental activities for children and young people at their facilities over two consecutive days.

Marina Port de Mallorca and Marina Ibiza, both part of IPM-IMG Marine Group, organised educational sessions for children and young people at their facilities. Across two consecutive days, they welcomed Recyclamer, an environmental organisation specialising in underwater and coastal clean-ups, which delivered an informative talk and an engaging water clean-up activity that delighted participants.

In Palma, pupils from Colegio Santa Magdalena Sofía visited Marina Port de Mallorca for a morning dedicated to the environment. The students, in their fourth year of compulsory secondary education, also took the opportunity to set up their customary biology experiment to study the development of microorganisms. They built a biofouling collector using pieces of plastic and rope, which they submerged in the water. They will monitor it throughout the year to study how organisms colonise it in a harbour environment.

In Ibiza, children from the Club Náutico de Ibiza sailing school enjoyed a lively morning, combining their sailing sessions with the environmental activity.

The session, led by Recyclamer founder Alan D’Alfonso and environmental engineer and association volunteer Solene Amand, comprised two parts. It began with an engaging explanation of plastic pollution in the seas, how plastic ends up on the seabed and the methods available to remove it. To complement the talk, participants were introduced to Mr. Turbino, a manually operated underwater vacuum that collects plastic from the seabed, and Geneseas, a floating robot that removes litter, microplastics and hydrocarbons from the water’s surface, either autonomously or using a joystick.

Each participant had a turn at operating Geneseas with the joystick. Within a designated area of the marina, they practised manoeuvring the robot and learned how to collect waste.

They took home an operator’s certificate as a souvenir of the activity and rounded off the session with refreshments to recharge before continuing with their activities.

The initiative provided another example of Marina Port de Mallorca and Marina Ibiza’s commitment to the environment. It also reaffirmed their intention to continue working with environmental organisations and raising awareness through the various activities included in their annual action plans.