The nautical sector warns of the impact of the port of Palma reorganization plan

The cluster emphasizes the need to take into account the high level of international competitiveness in which the sector operates, as well as its social and economic impact, representing 3.5% of GDP and providing employment for thousands of families.

The Board of Directors of the Balearic Marine Cluster will hold a meeting this Friday, January 23rd, with the President and Director of the Balearic Ports Authority (APB), with the aim of learning more about the details of the relocation of the Industrial Nautical Sector to the Western Breakwater.

This meeting follows the presentation sent by email on December 19th regarding the new Port of Palma plan, and the subsequent publication on December 21st of the tender for the drafting of the Master Plan and Urban Planning Proposal for the transformation of the commercial docks. This process has generated great concern among the more than 800 companies operating within the port area, which provide a livelihood for over 6,000 families.

Balearic Marine Cluster considers it essential to have clear and detailed information on how the reorganization process will be managed, what criteria have been taken into account in the planning, and how the medium- and long-term operational viability of Palma’s industrial nautical sector will be guaranteed.

The Cluster stresses that its role in this process is to act as an intermediary between the sector and the public administration, channeling the concerns of companies and promoting constructive dialogue that allows the transformation of the port to be compatible with the development of business activity in an increasingly competitive national and international environment.

“The objective of this meeting is to understand which technical criteria have been taken into account in planning the relocation of the repair area, how it will be implemented, and what guarantees are being offered to the nautical sector so that it can continue operating in a highly competitive environment,” said Pedro Suasi, Managing Director of the cluster.

The organization considers it essential to warn political leaders in the Balearic Islands that any miscalculation in the reorganization of the Port of Palma could lead to the definitive loss of its competitiveness in an already highly competitive market, and consequently to the loss of thousands of jobs and the closure of hundreds of industrial companies. It also recalls that the sector was classified by the Government of the Balearic Islands itself as a strategic sector due to its impact on the region’s economic and social fabric.

“The pillars that sustain the competitiveness of the nautical repair sector in the Port of Palma are at risk of being undermined by a political decision. All we are asking for are data, reports, and guarantees that any change is based on technical criteria that do not harm the future of the nautical industry,” commented Guillermo García, President of the Balearic Marine Cluster.

In the coming weeks, the Balearic Marine Cluster will organize an open assembly for all interested nautical repair companies to inform them of the outcome of the meeting and to share any information available to the organization regarding this matter.