The Government Requests Measures to Regulate Nautical Chartering and Improve Maritime Safety

The Minister Lafuente advocates for more efficient regulation of boat rentals and proposes improvements in the control of nautical activities to the Directorate General of Merchant Marine.

The Minister of the Sea and Water Cycle, Juan Manuel Lafuente, conveyed the concerns of the Balearic Government regarding the regulation of the nautical sector and safety on the coastline in Madrid on March 5. In a meeting with the Director General of the Merchant Marine, Gustavo Santana, he defended the need to ensure a regulation that strengthens safety in navigation without jeopardizing the viability of companies operating legally in the Balearics. The Director General of Ports and Maritime Transport, Antoni Mercant, and the manager of PortsIB, Kiko Villalonga, also attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Minister Lafuente conveyed the Govern's opposition to the state proposal to allow the rental of private vessels registered in the seventh list, a measure that would pose a serious problem for the Balearics. This modification would allow private vessels, registered for personal and non-profit use, to be rented. In this regard, the Govern has announced that, within its competencies, it will establish specific regulation on nautical leasing in the Balearics.

The Govern warns that this measure could lead to an uncontrolled increase in nautical activity in the archipelago, saturating the coastline and complicating the management of maritime traffic in high season. Additionally, it would represent unfair competition for the sector's companies that comply with all the administrative, fiscal, and safety requirements.

It has also been requested that any regulatory change at the state level not come into force in the middle of the tourist season, to avoid harm to the sector and facilitate its adaptation to the new regulation.

At the regional level, Lafuente reported on the process of modifying the Balearic Nautical Charter Decree, a key regulation to govern the rental of vessels in the archipelago. Currently, the decree is in the public consultation phase until March 7, a period during which citizens, associations, and companies in the sector can submit objections and proposals to improve the existing regulation.

The main objective of this modification is to reinforce safety in navigation, improve the management of the sector, and ensure its sustainability in the face of the significant growth of nautical activity in recent years.

Lafuente emphasized that this decree is a necessary update to adapt to the reality of the sector, where nautical rental is a strategic activity with a significant economic impact.

During the meeting, the Govern also conveyed the need to address key issues in port infrastructure and maritime safety. In this regard, the importance of carrying out dredging actions in various ports of the archipelago to ensure the operability and safety of navigation was highlighted.

Additionally, Lafuente reiterated the need to ensure that all Maritime Rescue stations in the Balearics have adequate resources to guarantee an effective response to emergencies at sea.

At the end of the meeting, the minister highlighted the importance of advancing in a regulation that ensures a balance between safety, the economic viability of the sector, and the protection of the marine environment. "From the Govern, we work to ensure that the rules are effective and realistic, so that both safety at sea and the activity of companies that comply with the law are protected," Lafuente stated.

The Govern will continue to maintain open dialogue with the sector and the Ministry to defend the interests of the Balearics in the maritime and port domain.