The Government strengthens coastal controls and expands transport inspections

The new coastal surveillance operation, with 22 vessels and drones, strengthens controls over irregular maritime activities, while eight new positions will increase the transport inspection workforce by 40% for the next season.

The Government of the Balearic Islands is stepping up its efforts to combat illegal and unauthorised activities and unfair competition in various sectors, with a focus on strengthening surveillance, inspection resources and tools for detecting irregular activities. This was highlighted yesterday, Monday 21st of September, during the fourth meeting of the Balearic Islands Task Force against Illegal Activities, where the main measures implemented during this season were presented, particularly in the maritime and transport sectors.

The Second Vice-President and Minister for the Presidency, Coordination of Government Action and Local Cooperation, Antònia Maria Estarellas, and the Director General of Ports and Maritime Transport, Antoni Mercant, explained at a press conference the reinforcement of coastal control operations and the measures carried out this year to combat illegal boat rentals and protect the legally operating maritime sector.

The main new development this season has been the launch of the Coastal Control and Surveillance Service, comprising 22 operational vessels distributed across the different islands and coordinated from a control centre. The operation combines scheduled activities with interventions in response to reports of possible irregularities and enables continuous monitoring of maritime activity.

By mid-September, the service had carried out 147 documented days of operations and more than 1,358 activity checks or inspections across the Balearic Islands. These actions resulted in 128 inspection reports and 39 violation notices being issued. Controls focus particularly on charter activities, vessel documentation and safety conditions, anchoring, protection of seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica), passenger transport and boarding, and the operation of mooring fields.

In the specific case of charter operations, inspections have detected, among other irregularities, vessels operating without having submitted the required declaration of responsibility or without being registered; the absence of the mandatory identification number; missing or inconsistent contracts; incomplete commercial documentation; and skippers who do not hold the required qualifications.

The operation has also incorporated the use of drones in certain activities, with the aim of expanding inspection coverage and detecting potential infringements more quickly and accurately. This technology makes it possible to monitor areas that are difficult to access, carry out broader surveillance of vessels and anchoring areas, and obtain images, coordinates and other visual documentation that can subsequently be incorporated into administrative proceedings.

Mallorca accounts for the largest volume of activity under the new service. Between the 4th of June and the 14th of September, 72 days of operations were carried out, involving more than 1,231 inspections, 74 reports and 16 violation notices. Of these actions, 311 specifically concerned charter controls, while 687 checks related to anchoring, 234 to the protection of Posidonia, and 163 to mooring fields.

In Menorca, the service documented 48 days of activity between the 27th of May and the 13th of September, with 61 inspections, 35 reports and 9 violation notices.

In Ibiza and Formentera, between the 22nd of June and the 14th of September, there were 27 days of operations, 66 inspections, 19 reports and 14 violation notices.

Alongside field inspections, the Directorate General of Ports and Maritime Transport is also taking administrative action. So far in 2026, 68 sanctioning proceedings have been initiated in relation to charter activities. The reports and violation notices prepared during inspections provide the basis for subsequently opening proceedings, once the information collected has been analysed.

This increase in inspection activity continues the upward trend recorded in recent years. In 2025, 162 sanctioning proceedings were initiated in connection with infringements relating to maritime transport and boat rentals, with proposed fines totalling €471,600.01. Since 2019, the number of sanctioning proceedings has increased by 853%, rising from 17 cases that year to 162 in 2025.

The Government's work also extends to the prior monitoring of vessels and the offers advertised online. During 2026, 36 vessels were removed from the charter register for failing to meet the requirements to operate in this sector. In addition, two requests were sent to Airbnb to remove accommodation listings on boats, and another was sent to ListaSeptima.com requesting the removal of advertisements for vessels registered under the seventh list that were being offered for rental in the Balearic Islands.

In parallel with the measures in the maritime sector, the Government is also strengthening the resources devoted to combating unauthorised passenger transport. The ITS Plan 2026–2027 allocates more than €2 million to two projects promoted by the Directorate General of Mobility, one of which will directly strengthen inspection staffing.

Specifically, the Government will create eight new inspection positions, representing a 40% increase in the current workforce in this area. The new positions are expected to be filled during 2027 and to be operational for the next tourist season. The €1.1 million investment includes four transport case officers responsible for processing sanctioning proceedings, two technical transport inspection assistants and two administrative positions.

This increase in staffing will make it possible to carry out more inspections and, consequently, improve the capacity to detect infringements and process sanctioning proceedings, shorten the time required to initiate procedures and strengthen the deterrent effect against illegal transport, while also contributing to improved passenger safety.

The second project under the ITS Plan, with a budget of €1 million, will strengthen technological detection and monitoring capabilities, particularly at high-traffic locations. Planned measures include installing licence-plate recognition cameras at ports and at Mallorca Airport, as well as new data-matching and analysis systems to improve the detection of irregular activities.

These measures form part of the Government's strategy to step up efforts against unauthorised activities, increase its monitoring and inspection capacity and promote safer and more orderly mobility, while protecting the transport sector that operates legally in the Balearic Islands.