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The 27 members of the Board of Directors of the Balearic
Port Authorities (APB) met last Wednesday (1/10/2008) to
decide who would be awarded the concession for the moorings
on Moll de Levant, Maó. The APB put the concession for the
431 metres of moorings between the Punta de Cala Figuera and
the Punta des Rellotge out to public tender in 2003,
receiving applications from four entities including the Club
Marítimo de Mahón and the Mallorcan company, Trapsa Yates
S.L., plus two others, Ocibar and Ribera del Puerto.
The tenders submitted by the first two differed greatly, the
Menorcan club proposing to invest 1.8 million euros and pay
an annual fee of 428,000 euros to the Port Authorities, and
its rival committing itself to almost 2.9 million euros in
investment and 600,000 euros per year. (The Port Authorities
had stipulated a minimum annual payment of 397,964 euros).
In the event the APB opted for the tender most financially
beneficial to them and Trapsa Yates was awarded the
concession of the 155 moorings for a period of 14 years and
10 months. The company is committed to spending 98,960 euros
per year (6.2% of the projected income) on developing
nautical sports and activities.
A motion put forward by the Club Marítimo that the tenders
be declared void, as so much time had passed since they were
submitted, was rejected by the APB after taking legal
advice.
At the end of the meeting, which lasted longer than
expected, the President of the Port Authorities, Francesc
Triay, said that the decision had been made on a judicial
and administrative basis, not a political one, adding that
the decision had not been easy. He admitted that the
concession should have been awarded before now and that the
administration had been “negligent”. Triay explained that
“political pressure in favour of the Club Marítimo” had
resulted in his predecessor, Joan Verger, avoiding
presenting the matter to the Board of Directors. The
President who took office in July 2007 said that he had
needed time to establish the reason for the delay in making
the decision.
The Club Marítimo’s authority to manage the moorings, which
it has held since 1991, will expire 15 days from the
notification of the meeting’s resolution.
Trapsa’s undertakings
The Mallorcan company has committed itself to spending 2.8
million euros on improving and modernising the port, in
addition to which it will add to the number of moorings by
constructing five floating pontoons in the form of a “T”,
increasing the number of berths to 155, each of which will
have electricity, water and telephone connections. Trapsa
has also undertaken to improve the communal services in the
area.
In its bid, the company guarantees to continue and develop
nautical activities, such as sailing, canoeing, diving and
fishing, and to carry on the tall ship regattas.
Workers involved in the management of the moorings have been
told that their jobs are guaranteed and Trapsa has stated
that current mooring fees will be maintained until the work
it has undertaken to do has been completed.
Article by: Christine M. Watterson . |
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