AENIB awards nautical sector at the XVII Gala del Mar

Over a hundred people gathered this Thursday at the Palma Centre Port (Institutional Building of the Balearic Port Authority) to participate in the XVII Gala del Mar, an event annually organized by the Association of Nautical Companies of the Balearic Islands (AENIB).

The Association of Nautical Companies of the Balearic Islands (AENIB) celebrated the XVII edition of the Gala del Mar and Nautical Sector Awards at the Palma Centre Port (Institutional Building of the Balearic Port Authority), gathering over a hundred people, including prominent figures from the nautical sector, the top executives of the Balearic nautical employer association, and a representation of authorities, including the Minister of Business, Employment, and Energy, Alejandro Sáenz de San Pedro; the manager of Ports IB, Francisco José Villalonga; and the president of the Balearic Port Authority, Javier Sanz, among many others.

As the representative of the host entity, Sanz opened the event, which he described as "a celebration of the excellence, commitment, and passion of those who defend and promote nautics in our Islands, highlighting the effort of the companies, entities, and professionals who daily contribute to the growth of the sector." During his speech, he emphasized that "AENIB is the oldest and largest nautical association in the Islands, further strengthened recently by its closer ties with the Spanish employer ANEN, allowing it to combine a Balearic vision with a national and European strategy."

At that point, AENIB President Jaume Vaquer took the stage, thanking all attendees for their vocation and unity in support of the sector. He also highlighted that "a new stage is beginning in our association, with the incorporation of vice-presidencies in Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera."

With this event, preceded by the entity's Annual General Ordinary Assembly and followed by its Annual Dinner, the Balearic nautical employer annually acknowledges all entities committed to the nautical development of the Islands. Thus, the XVII Nautical Sector Awards were granted to the following entities:

• "Fidelity and permanence in AENIB," in recognition of a company associated for its trajectory and commitment to the Balearic nautical employer association: PSB Marine Service, an entity with more than two decades of history offering a wide range of services for boats and yachts in the Balearic Islands, including yacht refurbishing, boat storage, maintenance and care, and specialized services for auxiliary vessels.
• "Outstanding professional career," for an organization that has particularly contributed to the development of nautics in the Balearic Islands: Náutica Viamar, with over 35 years of experience in the recreational nautical sector in Ibiza and Formentera, known for offering comprehensive services to both owners and professionals and noted for its commitment to sustainability and the environment.
• "Entity collaborating with the nautical sector in 2025," awarding excellence and dedication of a company in the sector: Centre de la Mar, located in Maó and recognized as the National Reference Center in Nautics. Its role has a national scope as it leads from the Balearics in creating and developing educational materials and training tools that can be replicated in other educational centers across the country. Joan Laureà Florit, the center's director, collected the award and emphasized that "the Centre de la Mar is a consolidated training space as an integrated vocational training center working to ensure our training not only meets the needs of the Islands but also serves as a model for the whole country with the mission of training the next generations of professionals in the sector."

During the evening, special homage was also paid to the recently deceased Tomás Garrido, a key historical figure in the foundation of AENIB four decades ago. In the early '80s, while he was vice-president of the Mallorca Chamber of Commerce, he met a very young Margarita Dahlberg, in whom he quickly saw leadership qualities and convinced her to found the Association of Nautical Companies of the Balearic Islands, which is currently the employer association of the Balearic nautical sector.

A recognition was also given to Pilar Muel, AENIB's secretary for many years and a beloved figure within the entity and the sector, who is soon retiring. "I want to thank all the associated companies and my presidents, Jaume and Margarita. You are a great family, and I hope you continue to work as well as you have until now," she stated after receiving her plaque from Vaquer.

The event was concluded by the Minister of Business, Employment, and Energy, Alejandro Sáenz de San Pedro, who highlighted "the importance of the nautical industry in the Balearics" and emphasized "the firm commitment of the Government to a sector that has numerous companies dedicated to recreational nautics and generates a lot of quality employment in the Balearics." He also acknowledged "the lack of qualified labor in many sectors, including one as crucial as nautics, highlighting the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to promote training through initiatives like the Centre de la Mar." He also noted the growth this year of the Palma International Boat Show, "an event that places the Balearics at the epicenter of international nautics and demonstrates the importance of our nautical sector in the world, which is a priority for the Government," he assured.

The evening brought together leading figures of the nautical sector, along with authorities and business representatives, in a networking and relaxed atmosphere where experiences were shared, and bonds were strengthened within the Balearic nautical community. Additionally, this meeting emphasizes the economic and social importance of nautics in the Balearics.

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