Recreational boats and nautical motorcycles accounted for 98.4% of the infractions processed by the Maritime Captaincy of Ceuta

• In total, 62 infractions were processed. 45 of them to recreational boats and 16 to nautical motorcycles • 82 maritime rescue actions were also carried out in waters located in the jurisdiction of the Captaincy

The Maritime Captaincy of Ceuta, under the General Directorate of the Merchant Navy of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma), processed in 2022 a total of 62 infractions, most of them committed by recreational boats (45) and nautical motorcycles (16).

As a result of these violations, 62 administrative sanctioning files were opened, much of them in the process of being resolved.

The main reasons for the infringement have to do with the lack of qualifications, the lack of compulsory insurance, navigating further than the permitted distance and not having the necessary rescue and fire equipment, among others.

In 2022 the Fare Rescue Coordination Center, dependent on the State Society of Rescue and Maritime Safety, SASEMAR, intervened in a total of 82 emergencies. In most cases they correspond to rescue actions for precarious or overloaded boats and drifting ships.

In addition, the Captaincy’s maritime safety inspectors conducted more than a hundred inspections of foreign and domestic ships for safety control and the prevention of maritime pollution.

These data are derived from the balance sheet of the year 2022 carried out by the Maritime Captaincy of Ceuta, directed by the maritime captain Francisco L. Sierra Ureta, which works as a team with the rest of the public workers assigned to guarantee maritime safety, the prevention and fight against pollution at sea and carry out the control of maritime traffic in its maritime area, among other competences.

Likewise, the Captaincies carry out the registration and dispatch of ships, the issuance of professional and recreational certificates and certificates and the issuance of all kinds of reports and authorizations related to maritime activity.

OPE 2022 Special Plan

In the case of Ceuta, the maritime captain is integrated in the Advisory Committee of the Provincial Plan Operation Ceuta Strait Passage and monitors the operation of the Fleet Plan, in coordination with the General Directorate of the merchant navy within the framework of the Special Plan OPE. In this regard, it should be noted that between 15 June and 15 September, a total of 683,648 passengers and 161,292 vehicles travelled on the Ceuta-Algeciras-Ceuta line.