Majorca crisis as Balearic Islands ‘running out of products’ | World | News
More than a hundred vehicles and trucks heading for the Balearic Islands remain stranded in the ports of Valencia and Barcelona. As a result, large quantities of non-perishable goods are unable to be delivered due to the lack of space on ships that are bound for the islands, the Balearic Islands Transport Business Federation (FEBT) reported. The association warned of the “very worrying” situation due to the lack of products being supplied to establishments.
Many tourism businesses have claimed they cannot complete their renovations due to a lack of supplies. This includes construction materials, furniture and several other appliances. The alarming situation has been happening for weeks, the manager of FEBT, Petra Mut, has claimed.
This week, the delays reached new heights when the number of goods vehicles waiting to go to Mallorca, Alcudia, Menorca and Ibiza exceeded one hundred.
Ms Mut emphasised that the situation has not affected the vehicles delivering perishable goods or food, which have priority in the ports.
The association boss is now urging shipping companies operating in the islands to do “everything possible” to decrease transfer times. She highlighted the vehicles supplying goods to the tourist establishments as the beginning of the tourist season fast approaches.
However, shipping companies have counteracted these claims, claiming there are no delays in the ports of Barcelona or Valencia—or at least not to the extent alleged by the transport companies.
During Holy Week, the days leading up to Easter Sunday, there is an increase in demand for goods, the FEBT claims, which can lead to a backlog of freight traffic. However, the shipping companies say that vehicle congestion is a separate issue, denying that lorries are being held up at ports due to a lack of space.
One shipping company, however, has acknowledged that there were delays, although the situation had “returned to normal”. Trasmed told the Majorca Daily Bulletin: “As every year, for a couple of days there is an increase in trucks due to the rise in consumption, which means that more road freight has to be transported.”