Ibiza’s Santa Eulària Marina Secures Approval for €2m Pontoon Works

Five pontoon-end structures approved in Ibiza

Balearic port authority PortsIB has granted final approval for a project to install five new structures at the ends of pontoons C, D, E, F and G at Santa Eulària des Riu marina in Ibiza. The approval, announced on 14 September 2026, allows concessionaire Merlin SA to carry out the work but does not establish that construction has already begun.

The authorised budget is €2,001,738.84 excluding VAT, to be funded entirely by the concessionaire, according to the regional government. The authority also specifies an annual concession fee of €54,485.54 plus VAT, a separate obligation that should not be added to the one-off construction budget when reporting the project's capital cost.

What the scheme changes on the pontoons

The works cover the outer ends of five existing pontoon lines, potentially improving the functionality of the affected berthing areas. The approval does not publish a confirmed number of additional berths or a new maximum yacht length, so those figures should not be inferred from the project description.

PortsIB says technical reviews found the proposal compatible with the Balearic Islands' general ports plan and not a substantial modification of the marina. The construction project was prepared in June 2026 and received a favourable technical assessment on 1 September, preceding the final authorisation.

Twelve environmental conditions apply

A marine-strategy compatibility assessment is favourable subject to twelve specific conditions, which must be met during the works. These include appointing an environmental coordinator, protecting wildlife and birds nesting on nearby islets, limiting underwater noise and turbidity, managing waste and preventing accidental spills.

The conditions also require measures to avoid the spread of invasive species and monitoring of the work's environmental effects. An authorisation accompanied by conditions is not evidence that there will be no environmental disturbance, and compliance will matter as construction progresses.

Construction timetable is conditional

Merlin SA must request the setting-out procedure within fifteen days of receiving the approval notification, with work scheduled to start within fifteen days of approval of the setting-out record. The government has not supplied a firm calendar completion date in its announcement, and PortsIB will inspect the completed works.

For marina users and yacht operators considering Ibiza, the announcement identifies an approved infrastructure project rather than immediately available new berthing capacity. The marina and port authority remain the appropriate contacts for current berth dimensions, construction disruption and operational arrangements.