07 Aug SPTD puts out to tender for 517,000 euros the nautical fleet required for the departure of the ‘Alicante 2027’ Round the World Sailing Race
The Society for Digital Transformation Projects (SPTD) published this Friday on the State Contracting Platform the contract for the lease of more than 40 vessels intended for the organization, security, and media coverage of the event.
The base tender budget amounts to 517,217 euros (VAT included) and interested companies have until September 7, 2026, to submit their bids.
Alicante (08/07/2026). The Generalitat Valenciana, through the Society for Digital Transformation Projects (SPTD), continues to advance in the logistical and operational planning of one of the sports events with the greatest international profile for the Community: the departure of the Round the World Sailing Race, The Ocean Race Alicante 2027. In this context, the State Contracting Platform today published the tender for the procurement of the leasing service for the fleet of vessels necessary for the organization, execution, and coverage of the event.
This contract represents a strategic step toward ensuring that the city of Alicante meets the standards of technical excellence and safety required for the global organization of the regatta. The purpose of this service is the comprehensive management and supply of a diverse fleet including professional crew, technical communications equipment, auxiliary resources, and necessary supplies for full operational readiness during the competition.
More than 40 vessels for a global event
The magnitude of the Round the World Sailing Race requires an unprecedented maritime deployment on the Alicante coast. As detailed in the contract’s explanatory report, the tender foresees the deployment of more than 40 vessels of various types designed to cover all functional areas of the event.
Among the most prominent units, the contract provides for 25 ‘marshall’ type vessels, essential for the organization of the race course and the safety of competitors and the public. Likewise, a high-capacity guest boat is included, with room for 130 to 150 people, intended for institutional hospitality and organizational commitments.
Media coverage is another pillar of the contract. To ensure that the race start reaches homes worldwide, specific units have been reserved for accredited press, professional photographers, and radio and television crews, allowing close tracking of the competing boats at sea. The fleet is completed with vessels for race management, judges (umpires), buoy laying, medical care, and operational services specific to Alicante Port of Departure.
Financial details and tender deadlines
The award procedure has been defined as open and subject to harmonized regulation (SARA), guaranteeing maximum transparency and competition among companies at the European level. The base tender budget has been set at 427,452.38 euros (VAT excluded), making a total of 517,217.37 euros including taxes.
The estimated contract value, considering potential technical variations permitted by the Public Sector Contracts Law, reaches 470,197.62 euros. According to SPTD planning, the execution of the contract will extend from its formalization until January 31, 2027, covering not only the competition days, but also the prior coordination phases, fleet movements, and final dismantling logistics.
Companies specialized in nautical services will have until September 7, 2026, to register their electronic proposals through the Public Sector Contracting Platform.
Quality criteria and environmental sustainability
As a novel feature in this edition, SPTD has designed an evaluation system that rewards not only economic efficiency, but also technical solvency and the bidders’ environmental commitment. Out of a total of 100 points, 70 correspond to automatic criteria, where price carries a weight of 65 points and the provision of additional vessels at no cost to the administration adds another 5 points.
The remaining 30 points will be awarded through value judgment, analyzing the quality of the descriptive memory, work plan, and implementation logistics. The organization will favorably value proposals that demonstrate deep knowledge of the Port of Alicante facilities and offer superior technical solutions regarding vessel age, size, and performance.
In line with the Generalitat’s sustainability policies, the tender specifications impose strict environmental protection measures. The winning company must implement protocols to reduce the impact of nautical activity, including efficient fuel management to minimize emissions, a absolute prohibition of discharges into the sea, and separate waste management through authorized handlers.
Alicante, epicentre of the nautical world in January 2027
The start of The Ocean Race is much more than a sporting competition: it is an engine of economic and tourism vitality for the city. The epicenter of the event will be the Ocean Live Park, the leisure and outreach site that will remain open to the public from January 8 to 17, 2027.
During these ten days, the tendered fleet will be essential for the sports program, which includes the spectacular in-port races prior to the grand transoceanic departure, scheduled for Sunday, January 17, 2027.
The SPTD emphasizes the need to initiate this file sufficiently in advance due to the “singularity and limited market availability of certain vessels.” The hiring of an external company is justified by the lack of internal resources within the public company to manage a deployment of such technical complexity, requiring certified skippers, specific insurance, and high-precision logistical coordination.
With this tender, the Generalitat reaffirms its commitment to making Alicante Start Port 2027 a resounding success, ensuring that all technical and human resources are fully operational to consolidate the city as the world’s benchmark venue for the start of the round-the-world sailing race.