The platform Salvem sa Badia de Portmany celebrates the evidence that, despite the fact that the Balearic Government’s approval of the return of the ferries to the port of Sant Antoni half a year ago “was not the solution that was demanded,” the truth is that the conditions imposed by Ports de Balears have “a positive result for the bay.” “This is demonstrated by the fact that, in these six months during which commercial traffic could have resumed, no shipping company has requested to take over the service, and the bay has continued with the recovery process that began with the implementation of the moratorium on commercial traffic in 2019,” says this group in a note assessing the information published by this newspaper about shipping companies’ lack of interest in operating in Sant Antoni.
The requirement that ships have a maximum length of 65 meters has been “critical” in shipping companies’ refusal to resume operations. “This decision has been revealed as a smart solution by the Ministry of Mobility and Ports de Balears, as it has resulted in the disappearance of commercial traffic in the bay,” the platform says in a statement, adding: “In addition, it conforms to the law and the pressures of the shipping companies themselves, who did not want the port to remain closed.”
Improvements for Sant Antoni de Portmany
During the years without ferry service, “the bay’s environmental state has significantly improved, as indicated by the fact that the water on the beaches has reported a higher level of transparency.”
As a result, the Salvem sa Badia de Portmany platform demands that, in the medium term, “the paralysis of commercial traffic be definitively approved so that the port facilities can be made compatible with other social or cultural uses, while also being prepared for possible emergencies.” “We must all continue to work together to eliminate the consequences that harm this environment,” the message concludes.
The presence of two ferries of a local shipping business that arrived from Canada last September and are still anchored at the port, undertaking repair work, raises some anxiety, according to the statement, despite the fact that both exceed the maximum length restriction set by the Balearic Government.