Transport Ministry launches new nautical safety campaign to prevent accidents

The campaign reflects on false beliefs and ingrained habits in recreational boating that, in many cases, are responsible for maritime emergencies, with recreational boating accounting for nearly 50% of all maritime emergencies occurring during the summer.

The campaign, promoted by the Directorate-General for the Merchant Navy and Maritime Rescue, in collaboration with the Civil Guard and the National Association of Nautical Companies (ANEN), will be shared on social media until September 15th. These efforts aim to reduce accidents and, above all, raise awareness among recreational boating users and those engaged in other maritime leisure activities about the importance of following the rules while still enjoying their time at sea.

The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility is launching a new summer campaign on recreational boating safety to dispel common myths about navigation that are leading to unnecessary accidents among users of recreational boats and other maritime activities.

The campaign, presented on Friday, June 13 in Santander, was presided over by the Secretary General for Air and Maritime Transport, Benito Núñez. It carries the slogan: “Mitos que hacen aguas. Haz oídos sordos a los cantos de sirena y escucha la ley del mar”, translated as “Myths full of holes. Turn a deaf ear to siren songs and listen to the law of the sea.” It is promoted by the Directorate-General for the Merchant Navy and Maritime Rescue.

The campaign video highlights certain habits that sailors develop which, often unconsciously, put them at serious risk. These include alcohol consumption, lack of maintenance of safety equipment like life jackets and buoys, failure to supervise children on deck, or setting out without enough fuel for the trip, among others.

Ultimately, the goal is to prevent emergencies and ensure that days spent enjoying the sea, whether aboard a boat or a jet ski, go smoothly, while reinforcing the importance of complying with safety regulations. “We must be aware that we are primarily responsible for our own safety, and this depends on whether we follow the established rules before and during the voyage,” stated Ana Núñez, Director General of the Merchant Navy, during the campaign video presentation.

The event also featured remarks from General Javier Moscoso, head of the Maritime Police Division of the Civil Guard; José Luis García Lena, Director of Maritime Rescue; Carlos Sanlorenzo Ferri, legal and institutional advisor for ANEN; and Federico Fernández Trapa, head of the Camino a Vela initiative.

The campaign will be promoted through the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility’s social media (@transportesgob) and Maritime Rescue (@salvamentogob). A new hashtag has been launched to identify the initiative: #LaLeyDelMar, which joins previous campaign tags such as #Salvate, #SeguridadNautica, and #Riesgos0.

The Ministry’s and Maritime Rescue’s official websites will also serve as platforms for dissemination and reference, allowing users to download a Guide with recommendations for recreational boating, an informative brochure, and an infographic of essential items for safe sailing, available in both Spanish and English.

Additionally, the heads of Maritime Captaincies and Maritime Rescue Centers along the Spanish coast will carry out awareness events to promote compliance with safety rules.

Nearly half of all summer maritime emergencies (between June 15 and September 15) involve recreational boats and other leisure maritime activities. Last summer, Maritime Captaincies and Rescue Centers responded to 1,466 such incidents involving more than 3,600 people. The most common causes of emergencies in recreational boating repeat year after year: structural or mechanical failure (77%), grounding (7%), and another 16% from various causes including fires, loss of contact, sinking, or water ingress.

Furthermore, during the Civil Guard’s summer campaign for monitoring and inspecting recreational boats and jet skis, 4,380 inspections of recreational vessels were conducted, resulting in 886 proposals for sanctions. In the case of jet skis, the 2024 campaign recorded 2,522 inspections, with 974 proposed penalties. Most issues were due to lack of insurance or proper certification for vessel operation.

Additionally, 84% of the sanctioning proceedings processed by Maritime Captaincies under the Directorate-General for the Merchant Navy for serious infractions in 2024 were related to users of recreational boats (62%) and jet skis (22%). The total amount of fines imposed reached nearly 3 million euros.