The Director General of Ports and Maritime Transport, Antoni Mercant, highlights the importance of extending the 75% discount to inter-island traffic to improve connectivity for residents.
The Director General of Ports and Maritime Transport of the Balearic Islands Government, Antoni Mercant, participated this morning in the 52nd General Assembly of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions (CPMR), held in Gozo (Malta), where he defended the need to improve connectivity and sustainability in maritime transport for island regions.
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Balearic Islands defends fair and sustainable mobility in maritime transport during the 52nd CPMR Assembly in Gozo
At this meeting, Mercant shared the experience of the Balearic Islands in the seminar entitled ‘Transport and Tourism in Peripheral Maritime Regions: Discussing challenges and exploring opportunities for transport solutions and a sustainable model for the tourism industry’, in the first session dedicated to ‘Identifying holistic transport solutions to improve accessibility and connectivity in peripheral maritime regions’.
‘Maritime transport is fundamental to ensure connectivity between our islands and the mainland, being essential for passenger mobility and the supply of goods,’ he stressed, highlighting the importance of this means of transport to mitigate the specific challenges of the triple insularity that Formentera faces. Mercant stressed that the review of the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) is essential to ensure that the characteristics of maritime transport in the islands are reflected in future policies.
During his speech, Mercant pointed out the need to make progress in improving port infrastructures and also argued that a 75% discount on inter-island maritime transport – as is already the case for air transport – is essential to guarantee fair and accessible mobility for residents.
Another of the key issues addressed by Mercant was the combination of accessibility and sustainability. ‘Maritime transport is the main gateway for food, building materials and other essential products for the islands, which underlines its importance for our economy,’ he said.
The director general also mentioned seasonality as one of the biggest challenges for transport in the Balearics, especially in the summer months when ports such as Palma, Eivissa and Formentera experience a significant increase in the number of passengers.
In conclusion, Mercant stressed that the future of transport in the Balearic Islands must be based on an integrated approach that combines accessibility, sustainability and efficiency. The seminar is part of the activities of the 52nd General Assembly of the CPMR, where, in addition to Antoni Mercant, the Director General of Institutional Relations and Parliament, Xesca Ramis, is also participating on behalf of the Balearic Executive.