boat repair

Around 20% of companies dedicated to boat maintenance and repair in Mallorca have decided to relocate their headquarters to ports in Catalonia or Valencia. This was confirmed by ADNEA, the Associació per al Desenvolupament Nàutic d’Empreses i Autònoms, which attributes this business move to the lack of information regarding the final status of the western dock from 2027 onwards.

According to ADNEA president Àlex Casares, “while it is true that a space has been defined, it is not clear under what conditions and this situation hinders investment and future plans for many SMEs, the main reason why they are seeking other destinations and taking clients away from Mallorca“.

Impact on training

Casares also warns about the impact this situation is having on the training of new professionals in the sector: “A sense has been generated that the sector is living in uncertainty due to a lack of decisions from the administration that would help clarify the situation. This means that many young people do not take the step and do not get trained to maintain and repair boats.”

From PIMEM, its president Jordi Mora states “that we do not miss the opportunity to give visibility to any sector that contributes to economic diversification, whether or not it is linked to the tourism sector”. The federation emphasises the need to ensure that different sectors can consolidate or grow independently of their dependence on tourism.

With the Palma International Boat Show 2025 just around the corner, PIMEM stresses that “it is necessary to give a voice to entrepreneurs who are warning of a future that unfortunately will not be addressed amid so much exhibition and festivity”. Nonetheless, the federation highlights the importance of the event, which “generates very good commercial momentum and will surely be the same this year“, PIMEM states in a press release.

Competing on equal terms

For his part, PIMEM member and CEO of TrueWorld, Marco Mendoza, recalled that “to achieve a truly transformative nautical sector, it is essential to strengthen collaboration between the public and private sectors, creating conditions that allow the local community to benefit and for companies committed to investing in sustainability to compete on equal terms and lead change from the Balearic Islands”.