The nautical field asks for clear indicators in the new General Plan of Balearic Industrial Politics

The sector demands clear indicators, updating of Palma’s port and measures to attract talent that guarantee competitiveness before other destinies of the Mediterranean.

The Directorate General of the Industry of the Government of the Balearic Islands summoned representatives of the refit and management superyacht nautical sector on last Friday, September 19th, as well as construction of vessels, to redefine the priorities of the next 2026–2030 General Plan of Industrial Politics of the Balearics. During the reunion, the development of the previous plan (2018–2025) was analyzed and the keys to guarantee competitiveness of the sector in the next few years were raised.

The sector conveyed the need for the new plan to include specific indicators and objectives that would allow its real impact to be assessed. Participants highlighted that the absence of clear metrics in the 2018–2025 plan has made it difficult to measure results and monitor the actions implemented.

One of the central issues was the situation of the Port of Palma, where nearly half of the Balearic nautical industry is concentrated. “Every day lost in Palma is ground gained by destinations such as Valencia or Barcelona,” stressed Pedro Suasi, recalling that haul-out infrastructures have not been modernized for decades, while other Spanish Mediterranean ports have inaugurated boatyards and shipyards in the past five years.

Entrepreneurs from the auxiliary industry demanded greater transparency regarding the Port Authority’s plans in order to invest securely and develop their medium-term strategies.

The recruitment and retention of specialized professionals is another major concern for the sector. “In the near future, the two major threats will be the availability of space and talent,” noted Joan Salom of Nautipaints Group.

Along the same lines, the urgency of ensuring generational renewal was emphasized. “It is becoming increasingly difficult to attract young people to nautical trades. The plan must promote continuous training, both for new recruits and for active professionals,” representatives pointed out.

Olimpia Corral, from Baltic Yachts, stressed the importance of breaking social stigmas: “We are perceived as a luxury sector, but the reality is that we repair engines, paint, and maintain boats. We are ordinary companies that provide jobs to more than 5,500 people in the Balearics.”

The need for accessible industrial land was also a central topic of debate. “In the Balearics, building boats is not viable due to the price per square meter. We have requested the reuse of abandoned former dairies, but it has been impossible to give them a second life,” lamented Joan Company of J2 Sailing.

The sector calls for measures that would allow it to compete on equal terms with other peninsular destinations, where the cost of industrial land is significantly lower.

The working group agreed that the Balearic Islands have unparalleled technical capacity in the Mediterranean, but the lack of progress in reorganizing the Port of Palma and the uncertainty generated are holding back key investments.

“We are islands, and space is limited, which is why we must manage it with maximum efficiency, maximizing added value per square meter. We will never be able to compete on price with Turkey or Greece, but we can compete through our technical excellence and our capacity to carry out high value-added work,” concluded sector representatives.