Silence and helplessness in the mobilization for the new project on the use of ramps and 6th list mo

Mobilizations continue, promoted by entrepreneurs and self-employed individuals affected by the future tender for the use of ramps and moorings for 6th list vessels in port facilities managed by Ports IB.

Professional representatives of nearly thirty companies operating in the ports of Colonia de Sant Jordi, Sóller, Andratx, Pollença, and Porto Cristo, met again today at the doors of Ports IB hoping to be attended by some responsible party. However, they were surprised to find themselves alone in front of virtually empty offices, where no technician or responsible party could attend to them, allegedly because, as reported, “the staff had moved this morning to the headquarters of the Ministry of the Sea.”

Last week, we exclusively reported that a group of nautical sector professionals from the ports of Andratx, Sóller, Pollença, and Porto Cristo, having received no response to the multiple emails, letters, and calls made requesting concise information about the future of the bases of these new tender documents, showed up at the central offices of Ports IB, where they were finally attended by the manager of Ports IB, Kiko Villalonga, along with the entity's legal team.

In this impromptu meeting, the representatives from each port facility requested more information about this future tender that would affect the business of dozens of industry professionals. Having gone a week without any contact with the public administration, and knowing that this Friday, November 22, the Ports IB council meets to discuss the tender documents for the use of ramps and moorings for 6th list vessels at their ports, many of the entrepreneurs operating in these nautical facilities showed up again at the headquarters of Ports IB to make themselves heard and to be taken into account. Faced with the fact that there was no one to attend to them, on a Friday at 9 in the morning, the sector's professionals have filed a complaint at the headquarters of Ports IB.

We have learned that prior to this mobilization, they sent a new letter to the public entity, warning in a very direct tone that they will defend themselves against any decision they consider to violate their activity. “We are not willing to lose what we have been building for years due to new unfair regulations that only favor those with greater economic power.” In this new communication, they inform Ports IB that they have sought legal advice and that they have all the licenses and permits in order, as well as documentation that “demonstrates clear inefficiency of the services obtained so far from the administration.”

They accuse that a clear example is that the professionals have received the authorization to work during 2024, this same week, once the season has already ended. In addition, they have kept the receipts for the “abusive” dry dock fees they have paid this year to use the ramp, since they were not allowed to renew the ramp card annually.

According to the affected parties, there are “conflicts of interest” in the Ports IB Board of Directors, as there are members who belong to the council and at the same time, use this mooring exploitation for business and economic purposes. The decision to put these moorings and the use of ramps out to tender is “a covert privatization that only favors large companies and will leave local small business owners out on the street.”

They conclude the letter reminding the public entity that this is not a threat, but that “we are going to defend ourselves with everything, as our livelihood is at stake.”