Oscar Siches is a marina designer and consultant for marina projects in various countries, including the marinas of Pantalan del Mediterraneo and Moll Vell in Palma. He has shared his experience through more than 30 conferences in 12 countries and has written numerous articles for Marina World and other international nautical magazines. He explains the historical powerplay of Madrid over the Port of Palma. Days after submitting this article to The Islander, the long awaited breakthrough regarding the expansion of the yard-area was announced.
STP and its conflicts with the Harbour Authority (APB) is a subject I have followed up on since it started. I have previously written about in Spanish publications. The Islander’s new editor, Jens Oomes asked me to clarify the structures and politics behind this important outfit in Palma.
Palma harbour, all of it, is ruled by the Palma Harbour Authority (APB), and the 28 harbour authorities in Spain ruling on 46 harbours depend on “State Harbours” in Madrid. This is a department of the Spanish Maritime Ministry. So, Palma harbour follows the rules of Madrid, not the Mallorca government rules! So Madrid -despite being landlocked, far away with no affinity with the Yachting Industry- rules the port: almighty and autonomously.
The Port administration from Madrid instructs the APB in the Balearics to deny the permint. Why?
APB grants the concessions to the marinas, shipyards and every building or surface (this is why your Palma parking app doesn’t work in Sector G Tarifada) within Palma Harbour. Also 4 other important Balearic harbours: Alcudia, Ibiza, Mahon and La Sabina (Formentera).
For the last 15 years, there have been corruption cases involving the APB’s director and president, granting marina concessions and extensions and applying dodgy law interpretations. Like the best Sicilian practices, the Omertá prevails and nobody speaks up fearing retaliation.
Lifting 1000 Tons and nowhere to go.
STP Servicios Tecnicos Portuarios, since it started in 2006, did a very good job. They increased their clientele year after year. So they needed more space. On several occasions they requested to increase their concession surface, the size of the yard. A few requests were granted, and when the concession renewal time arrived. they asked again more surface. You may know that STP sports the largest Travel Lift in Europe. Investing in the 1000 Ton Travelift was one of the many improvements STP made, much to the benefit of the Madrilenian APB. They also increased the annual lease to APB. A totally legal and above-board affair.
Once the Travel lift was up and running, STP put in a request to extend the shipyard surface once again. They expected to add more than 56.000 m2 reaching towards the end of the long pier which ends at the old lighthouse. And then BOOM! The Ports administration from Marid instructs the APB in the Balearics to deny the permit. Why?
My educated guess is that, after all the corruption and administrative mess which generated very bad press, Madrid prefers to block everything that is not 100% strictly by the book or that can be seen as benefitting a concessionaire. One must realize that none of the public officials of the “Ports of the State”, no matter whether they are directors or technicians, have a clue about yachting. This doesn’t help the case of course. My views on this issue stem from my experience running two concessions in Palma Harbour between 2001 and 2016 -Pantalan del Mediterraneo and Moll Vell- having suffered APB’s unfair behaviour consistently during those 15 years.
On the 27th of October, days before a demonstration demanding the expansion to be granted, the APB has given the green light! This is a big breakthrough for STP, Astilleros and the yachting industry as a whole!
Oscar Siches CMP
+34 667 494 858
