Almost 200 recreational boats and jet skis were sanctioned in Tenerife throughout 2024 for breaches of maritime safety regulations, according to a report released by the Maritime Captaincy of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which operates under Spain’s Ministry of Transport.
A total of 197 sanctioning proceedings were initiated, most of them related to recreational watercraft. The most common infractions included operating without the required civil liability insurance, failure to comply with ship dispatch regulations, and driving without the appropriate qualifications or exceeding the limits of those qualifications.
Ten additional infractions were recorded in the commercial shipping sector, mainly involving failures to comply with dispatch rules or obligations to provide required information.
While overall figures remained similar to those recorded in 2023, a notable rise was observed in offences related to underwater activities, with eight infractions recorded in this category.
Maritime Safety Inspections and International Standards
Maritime safety inspectors carried out 192 safety and pollution control inspections during the year, 74 of which were on foreign-registered vessels. These inspections, part of routine procedures, can lead to sanctions and fines if irregularities are found.
Some sanctioning proceedings were launched as a result of reports by other authorities, such as the Maritime Department of the Guardia Civil, particularly in cases involving environmental breaches, including illegal discharges into marine ecosystems.
Inspections of foreign vessels are carried out in the context of the ‘Paris Memorandum of Understanding’ (Paris MoU), a multilateral agreement to ensure that ships arriving in European ports comply with international safety and environmental standards, and that crew members have suitable living and working conditions.
Over 670 Emergencies Managed in 2024
The Maritime Captaincy also responded to more than 670 emergencies last year. Of these, 379 involved migrants boats assisted by Maritime Rescue services, helping approximately 30,000 people. The remaining incidents primarily related to recreational boating.
One of the most significant emergencies took place in November, when the container ship RHINE MAERSK suffered a fire affecting several containers loaded with charcoal and cotton. The fire lasted four days. The Captaincy assessed the risks, authorised port docking, monitored the situation closely, and conducted a thorough inspection once the emergency was under control.
Administrative Activity and REBECAS Registry
In 2024, the Maritime Captaincy processed 5,272 applications for recreational and professional qualifications, carried out 2,428 ship dispatch procedures, and handled 8,505 crew enrolments and discharges.
It also oversees the Special Register of Ships and Shipping Companies of the Canary Islands (REBECAS), shared between the captaincies of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. By the end of 2024, REBECAS included 311 vessels, amounting to a gross tonnage of 2.2 million tonnes.
However, the register saw a slight decline, with a 1% drop in the number of vessels and a 6% decrease in total gross tonnage compared to the previous year.
