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.

The Annual General Meeting 

After the presentations, the Assembly took place in the meeting room of the restaurant Moli des Comte. The board of the association thanked the numerous associates present at the meeting and made a brief review of how the association had been run during the past exercise. The president of AENIB, Margarita Dahlberg referred in her speech to “the historical moment in the nautical sector in Spain”. Although on one hand the companies in the sector continue suffering from the economical crisis, “the recent legislative and fiscal changes approved at the national level by the central government are an indication of better times to come”.  She also laid emphasis on the association´s beneficial relationship with ANEN, as it “allows the voice of the Balearic entrepreneurs to reach all the way to the central government”.

During her address, Dahlberg also  reviewed the plans of action and projects for AENIB for the current year, like for example the continuation of involvement with the Palma Boat Show along the lines of the last edition in order to, according to Dahlberg, “create an event capable of attracting both exhibitors as well as clients and visitors”.

The Gala Dinner and the Nautical Awards Ceremony

As the event progressed, also the invited authorities joined the numerous associates and the journalists and TV crews who had been patiently waiting  for the start of the prize giving ceremony.

The event counted upon the presence of some very prominent guests: president of the Balearic government, José Ramón Bauzá, minister of Economy and Competitivess, Joaquín García,  representative of the Popular Party in the Congress, Rogelio Araújo, director general of Commerce and Enterprise, Lourdes Cardona, representative of the Centre Balears Europa, Kate Mentink, managing director of Ports IB, David Gómez, Harbour Master of Palma, José Escalas, president of CAEB, Josep Oliver, general secretary of ANEN, Carlos Sanlorenzo and chief inspector of the radio of the Capitania Maritima, Ronaldo Narváez.

In her speech the president of AENIB, Margarita Dahlberg, referred to the difficulties that the nautical companies face on a daily basis and lauded their “steely resolve” to carry on with their activity day after day, in the face of the adversity. Despite everything, Dahlberg was optimistic when talking about the latest legal and fiscal improvements approved by the central government with an aim to promote the nautical tourism, like the exemption of the matriculation tax for chárter yachts over 15 m, the reform of the law of navigation and the planned reform of the nautical qualifications.

Dahlberg thanked the government of Bauzá for supporting the nautical sector, a sector that Bauzá himself in various occasions has qualified  as strategic for the economy of the islands. However, she specified that “there is still a long way to go to reach the level of our European competitors”. She affirmed the necessity to “exempt all private yachts from the matriculation tax, simplify the bureaucratic processes, adopt a fiscal framework in harmony with the rest of Europe and introduce ways to support the nautical entrepreneurs”. Proposals that, in opinion of the president of AENIB, will allow the companies in the Balearics as well as elsewhere in Spain to compete in equal conditions with our neighboring countries.

After the speech, the VII edition of the Nautical Awards of AENIB took place. The prize for  “the entity most involved with nautical sector in 2013” was awarded to CAEB for the promotion and defence of the Balearic nautical sector during the last decades. The award in the category “Most prominent professional trajectory” was received by Comercial Morey and the award in the category “Longest membership” was given to Power Boat Service, who have put their trust in AENIB since 1995.

The award ceremony was concluded by president Bauzá. In his speech he assured once again that “the nautical sector is strategic for the economy of the islands and we will be on the side of the companies”. From the speaker´s stand he demanded the central government to put the brakes on the various oil prospecting projects that are planned for the Mediterranean along the coasts of the Balearic Islands and Valencia. He stated that “tourism is our petrol” and “if they don´t find ways to stop the prospections, they should invent some”.