“Catalan allows us to welcome those who arrive in Catalonia through our way of doing and living,” stated the Minister for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, Sílvia Paneque, in the inauguration speech for the itinerant exhibition ‘Els ports de Catalunya, un mar de palabras’ (The Ports of Catalonia, a Sea of Words), located on the esplanade of the Club Náutico de La Escala. During the event, she was also accompanied by the Mayor of La Escala, Josep Bofill, and the President of Plataforma per la Llengua, Òscar Escuder.
Earlier, the minister and the senior patron of the Fishermen’s Guild of La Escala, Josep Lluís Sureda, visited the improvement works that the Government is carrying out in the port of La Escala. “The 2.5 million euro investment that the Generalitat has allocated to the port of La Escala has allowed the emergency works on the fish market and the storerooms to be launched, which were affected by the strong tramontana wind storms in the months of December and February 2024, which damaged 150 m² of the roof.”
Catalonia is a country of the sea with 780 kilometers of coastline and a port system made up of 47 ports, of which 45 are under the jurisdiction of the Generalitat of Catalonia and two (Barcelona and Tarragona) are state-owned ports of general interest. Ports are maritime infrastructures, but also spaces where activities take place that, through this exhibition, will be made known to port users and citizens.
Meeting Spaces
“Our ports and our fish markets have been, and are, meeting spaces, spaces for exchange; workspaces of great economic and social importance,” explained Minister Paneque during the inauguration of the exhibition, “it is the culture of the sea that amalgamates a set of shared values such as respect, effort and cooperation, which are also values of Catalonia.”
The Generalitat and the entity Plataforma per la Llengua have worked together on the content of an exhibition that, for the first time, includes illustrations and port vocabulary. A lexicon related to the fishing, nautical and commercial sectors, the shipbuilding industry, the integration of ports and their urban fabrics, and port sustainability. The goal of this exhibition is for citizens to become familiar with words like “dársena” (dock basin), “pantalán” (pier), “dique de abrigo” (breakwater), or “bocana” (harbor entrance), to better understand what Catalan ports are like.
This exhibition began in the port of La Escala (Alt Empordà), where it will remain until November 10. Afterwards, it will travel to the port of Blanes (Selva), where it will be from November 12 to 18. It will continue in the port of Vilanova i la Geltrú (Garraf), where it can be seen from November 20 until December 1, and will conclude its itinerary in the port of la Ràpita (Montsià), where it will be from December 3 to 18.
Works in La Escala
The public company Ports de la Generalitat has initiated two parallel works this year 2025 in the port of La Escala: the adaptation of the fishing buildings and the new service networks that affect a large part of the port, with a total investment of 2.5 million euros. “These works are compatible with fishing activity. They have allowed for the adaptation of 1,500 m² of metallic structure and 2,250 m² of new roofing, with solutions that guarantee safety, resistance to the marine environment and energy efficiency.
Moreover, they also contribute to preserving both the functionality of the spaces and the heritage linked to the culture, explained Paneque during the visit to the works.
The fish market and the storerooms where the fishermen keep their utensils were affected by two wind storms, which necessitated replacing the roofs of these buildings, reinforcing the structures, and renovating the façades and enclosures. Both the fish market building and the storerooms were affected by the extreme wind episodes in the Alt Empordà in December and February 2024.
After the emergency repair was completed, the roofs have been replaced, applying a waterproofing and insulation system to eliminate water leaks and improve the energy efficiency of the buildings. The structural metal profiles and the closures have been renovated and treated to remove corrosion caused by their exposure to the marine environment. Likewise, the exterior public lighting has been changed to LED technology, a more environmentally friendly technology that saves 50% of energy and optimizes the resources of the port facilities, as it adapts the lighting to the needs of each site. The works are being carried out in a way that allows them to be compatible with fishing activity, minimizing the impact on operations. The works will end in November and have a cost of 1.6 million.
New services
In parallel, work has begun to renew the water and low-tension service network of the port of La Escala. New connection points for the new drinking water and low-tension pipes are now being executed, with 1,140 meters of new trenches. A new general electrical panel is also being built in the port, which includes 15 new distribution electrical panels.
The new service connection points will have 8,384 meters of copper electrical wiring of different sections. Also, 1,486 meters of polyethylene pipes will be installed for the distribution of drinking water. Likewise, the existing service gallery will be rehabilitated with new distribution trays, new access points, and new LED lighting. The works will end in January 2026 and have a cost of 900,000 euros.
