Presentation of the IX edition of the Nautical and Cuttlefish Fair in Alcúdia

Last Thursday the poster and the programme of the activities of the IX edition of the Nautical and Cuttlefish Fair (from 4th to 6th of April) was presented in Alcúdia, with various municipal representatives in attendance, among others the mayoress of Alcúdia Coloma Terrasa, city councillor responsible for fairs and commerce Carme Garcia, the councillors of the local administration Juan L. González and Laura Serra, as well as the councillors of the opposition Beatriz Oneto and Domingo Bonnín. Also present were the representative of the Port Authority Joan Gili and Francisca Reynés from Alcudiamar, as well as representatives of the restaurants that will participate in the gastronomic fair.

The councillor Garcia gave a preview of the principal novelties of this year´s fair, in which 23 restaurants and 30 nautical companies will participate. One of the highlights of the presentation was the performance of Los Gabytos of the Aragon family, a charity act through the volunteer group Piruletas of the association against cancer and the Sonrisa Médica. This emphasized the fact that the fair will be a family orientated event.

Among the performances to take place during this nautical event are the group of girls called "El Alba", who will dance sevillanas, various local dj´s who will play music in the gastronomic tent, as well as the show of Sarau Alcudienc and the parade of S´Estol del Rei en Jaume and the Alcúdia Giants.

On the other hand, the councillor Garcia praised the collaboration of the Fishermen´s Guild, which will  participate also in the gastronomic tent this year. She announced that the public can vote for the best stand and the best tapa and informed about an exhibition dedicated to the sea of Alcúdia, with photos of the various beaches.

The supeyacht area in the 31st Palma International Boat Show is fully booked

The exposition area both on land and on water will be increased thanks to the recovery of the areas that were affected by building work last year, and the inclusion of a new dock that will allow an expansion of the floating exhibition to 200 vessels.

The Palma International Boat Show is picking up the beat for its 31st edition, which will take place from 30th of April to 4th of May in Moll Vell. The floating exhibition of superyachts, with capacity to host 70 to 75 of these boats - 29 more than last year, is already fully booked.

Still almost two months until the show opens, the first figures for this year´s edition exceed even the most optimistic predictions, thus confirming that the changes made last year were the right ones for strengthening this show, currently considered the most important in Spain.

The show has a larger surface area available this year, by having recovered the area of Moll Vell that was under construction last year, and also thanks to the incorporation of a new dock that will permit to practically double the number of moorings of the floating exhibition, increasing from 110 moorings in 2013 to 200 this year.

The event will count again on the presence of the eye-catching superyachts, thanks to an agreement reached between the Balearic Government and the Balearic Yacht Brokers Association (BYBA) in 2013. The superyacht section will be more prominent this year, occupying about 70% of the total exhibition area and offering an image of high standard. Of all the available berths, between 70 and 75 will be occupied by these superyachts ranging from 25 to 70 meters.

The II Nautical Congress will debate over nautical qualifications and second hand boats

Only a couple of weeks away till the start of the II Nautical Congress, one of our most important annual nautical events, sees an increase in the programme of contents and presentations in the last few days.

Consequently, among the various round table discussions, conferences and workshops that make up the event there are also two panel discussions that, without doubt, are of maximum interest for the recreational nautical sector as well as for the yachting enthusiasts: "Reformative status quo of the recreational yachting in Spain" and "Towards excellence in management of the second hand yacht market".

The first panel will provide information over the current status of the legislative reform process and analyzes the proposals and fiscal news that will allow the progress of the harmonization of the Spanish recreational nautical sector within the European framework.

The planned reform of the nautical qualifications, as well as the legislative proposals presented by the Spanish Nautical Trade Association (ANEN) in collaboration with the Spanish Federation of Associations of Tourist Ports and Marinas (FEAPDT) over the regulation of abandoned vessels, will be the two star presentations of this round table discussion.

In the debate will participate, among other speakers, Fernando Henriquez representing the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy, Gabriel de Sandoval, president of FEAPDT, Pedro Galindo and Joan Carles Ollé, both representing the General Council of Public Notaries.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT FOR THE ASSOCIATES OF AENIB. For more information please get in contact with us.

Read the complete article in Naucher Global.

The Department of Tourism announces that the nautical tax will be suppressed in 2015

The Balearic Minister of Tourism and Sports, Jaime Martinez, is confident that the State will withdraw in 2015 the navigation tax (popularly known as the lighthouse tax) included in the Royal Decree 1/2014. This reform regarding the infrastructures, transport and other economic measures was approved by the Council of Ministers on the 24th of January and ratified by the Congress in February. The measure, which establishes an 128% increase in the lighthouse tax, is considered by the Balearic yacht clubs and tourist marinas as the "biggest fiscal blow" of the recent years.

Martinez visited Ibiza yesterday and had a meeting with - apart from the principal tourism and economic authorities of the island - also with the nautical associations, which he informed had to wait until the next year before the Government withdraws this fiscal measure: "I transferred our concern not only over this tax, but over an increase of any other tax to the State Secretary of Tourism (Isabel Borrego), and she told me they are already working on the elimination", assured the Minister of Tourism yesterday after a meeting with the Chairman of the Council, Vicent Serra and the department heads of Tourism, Culture and Sports of this island institution.

However, the tax will be collected during the current year, Martinez pointed out. "This increase will possibly be eliminated next year, as it is already included in the State budget this year", he underlined.

A 10% increase in the number of super yachts based in the Balearics for their maintenance and repairs

There is a 10% increase in the number of super yachts that choose the Balearic Islands - specially Palma, Port Adriano and the Port of Alcúdia - as a base for their maintenance and repair work. The sector is satisfied with the results this winter and confirms that the principal reasons for this are the technical quality of the offered services as well as the outstanding location. But, even though the number of repaired boats has grown, volume of work per boat has fallen. 

The Balearic nautical sector foresees a similar season to last year´s

The nautical sector is starting to rev up for the summer season, which is predicted to be very similar to last year´s when it comes to the number of nautical tourists. The foreign market is recovering, specially the british and german. The national market stays stagnant.

II National Nautical Congress

There are many novelties included this year in the 2nd National Nautical Congress, organized by ANEN from the 1st to the 2nd of April.  After the first edition in Madrid, the event is moved to Barcelona this year according to a plan to host the event in all the regions where the recreational nautical industry is important.

As issues of debate, the round tables of the II Nautical Congress will address the latest plans  on legislative and fiscal improvements, with representatives from the Administration. Also international nautical experts will analyze the situation of our sector in Europe, and the second hand market will be focused on as well. Prominent speakers from the area of business marketing will present new business formulas and tendencies applied to the nautical market. To emphasize the practical side of the Congress, there will be a creative workshop over how to face the challenges of innovation in the nautical sector.

The biggest novelty of this second edition will be the Networking Area, which will take place parallel to the Nautical Congress. The aim is to offer the companies of the sector a business platform where to exchange synergies, make contacts and to launch projects.

Through the link http://bit.ly/OGzcDS you can find the programme of the II Nautical Congress. The registrations will open next week, and you will receive more information closer to the date.

Letter from the president - March 2014

Few days ago we celebrated the 29^th Annual General Meeting and the VII Edition of the Nautical Awards, during which the trajectory and fidelity of various associates was recognized, as well as the great support we have been receiving from CAEB since decades. It was a very special event that highlighted the strength of our sector.

As I said during the gala, it was a great pleasure for us to see that, despite everything, we are able to stay united and fight  for our future together. I was deeply  satisfied  see so many familiar faces again this year All of you, great entrepreneurs, who stoically face the hardships of the economic crisis and keep a steely resolve to carry on forward with your business day after day, fighting against the tide.

Only because of our unity and by investing human and economic resources have we been able to make our voice heard amongst those authorities with the necessary power to change things: local government, central government and even the European Commission. Our voice has been heard and taken into account in the political circles. And thanks to our presence at the most important boat shows of Europe, we have managed to put  Balearics back on the map of nautical tourism.

We have worked side by side with our colleagues at ANEN, preparing numerous reports and meticulous studies in order to convince the decision makers of how beneficial it is to have a strong nautical sector with a great potential for growth. A proof of our success is to have achieved the exemption of the matriculation tax on charter yachts, something we have fought for many years. 

The same with the reform of the Law of Navigation, which will recognize recreational yachting as a separate activity for the first time in the history of our country. On a short term we are pending on the reform of the nautical qualifications and their adaptation to the current reality, a necessity that can not wait any longer.

The Barcelona Boat Show will hoist the sails from 15th to the 19th of October

The Barcelona Boat Show will take place from 15th to the 19th of October, a few weeks later than usual as not to coincide with other international boat shows, like Cannes in France or Genova in Italy. 

Organized by Fira de Barcelona in collaboration with the Spanish Nautical Trade Association (ANEN), the Barcelona Boat Show - the most important one in Spain - will concentrate for the third year in row its activities in the premises of Port Vell. 

Apart from the floating exhibition of boats, there will be a range of nautical products and services exhibited ashore too , from electronic articles and motors to paints, trailers, fishing tools and small vessels. 

Those interested in nautical sports will have their own entertainment zone, the Fun Beach Area, where the public can have initiation sessions from surf and windsurf to dinghy sailing and kayaking, according to the information from Fira de Barcelona. 

The show will have also a Sea Area, which will host presentations of regattas, books, award ceremonies and conferences. Classical wooden boats are exhibited and workshops and concerts will take place in Traditional Marina Area. 

In previous years, the Barcelona Boat Show always took place in September, but the sector itself requested a delay of the show by a few weeks to fit in better in the calendar of international boat shows.

Read the complete article in Finanzas.com

The recreational boat registrations grow by almost 5% in February

The market stabilizes during the first months of 2014 around similar numbers as in the same period last year. From October 2013 on, the recreational yacht market leaves the negative numbers and reflects a tendency of certain stability, with hopes of some growth by the end of 2014. In February the registrations of motor boats, jet skis and semirigid inflatable ribs grow.

Madrid, 4th of March 2014. - According to the information provided by the Directorate General of the Merchant Marine, and after thorough analysis by the Spanish Nautical Trade Association, in February 2014 in Spain 217 recreational boats have been registered, which means a growth by almost 5% in comparison to the 207 registrations in February 2013.

"Our predictions of stability and moderate growth of the nautical market are starting to materialize. The result of February leads us to believe that at the end of 2014, the sector will face a noticeably better situation than in 2013", declared Carlos Sanlorenzo, the general secretary of ANEN.

The charter market continues to grow in the first months of 2014. With 19 vessels registered for charter use, between January and February of this year, the charter market registers an increase by 58,33% compared to the balance of the same period last year, when 12 vessels for charter use were registered. To the same extend, compared to the data of January-February 2007 (the year before the crisis), the charter market has grown so far this year by 46,15%.

29th Annual General Meeting and the VII Nautical Awards of AENIB

The Nautical Trade Association of the Balearic Islands (AENIB) celebrated the 29th Annual General Meeting and the VII Nautical Award Ceremony on the 20th of February. Over hundred people congregated for the event, including  nautical entrepreneurs, prominent personalities from the nautical world and politicians, among them the president of the Balearic government, José Ramón Bauzá and the minister of Economy and Competitiveness, Joaquín García. 

The presentations

Before the start of the Annual General Meeting, a round of presentations by various experts took place. A considerable number of associates followed the presentations, which dealt with a wide range of issues, from the latest changes in the ISO regulations to cooperation projects. The first presentation was given by Agustion Fiol from Lloyds, analyzing  the regulations for ISO 9001 and 14001. After that Rafael Olabarrieta from Generali Seguros explained the ins and outs of civil liability insurances for the nautical sector. The third presentation, by Miguel A. Rayo from Corporacio Jovent clarified the plans of cooperation between the Corporacio Jovent and AENIB to help people at risk for social exclusión. During the last presentation the general secretary of the Spanish Nautical Trade Association (ANEN), Carlos Sanlorenzo, gave an extensive summary of the actions carried out by the association during the past year and started projects and planned actions for the current year.