Giant at anchor: US aircraft carrier off Palma draws attention

An unusual sight in Palma Bay

Early in the morning, when the streets still smelled of coffee and fresh pastry, a colossus suddenly lay outside the city. The USS Gerald R. Ford has been anchored in Palma Bay since Friday — hard to miss if you're strolling along Passeig Marítim or looking across from Portixol. Many stopped, pulled out their phones, some raised an eyebrow and continued to work.

What we know

The nuclear-powered ship is almost 337 meters long and can carry around 90 aircraft, including modern carrier systems like the F/A-18 and the F-35. On board are an estimated 4,500 crew. According to the port, the ship is planned to stay nearby until Wednesday, October 8 — enough time to stand out in the cafés and bars of the city.

Military-technical details are impressive here, but the presence naturally also raises questions: Why now? What activities are planned? Authorities provide only sparse information, fueling a tug-of-war between curiosity and concern.

Economic impact — and tensions

Hoteliers, restaurant operators and taxi drivers expect additional revenue: industry representatives estimate that the crew could generate significant turnover on the island within days. At the same time, residents and politicians warn of darker sides: alcohol-related confrontations have occurred at prior visits of similar units, and some shops are preparing defensively.

On the street, protests quickly formed: local left-wing groups announced rallies and criticize the presence as a political signal in a time when many call for dialogue and de-escalation. Others, meanwhile, see in the visit simply an opportunity — for photos, conversations and, yes, sales.

Simple feeling, big ship

I rode to the port myself in the morning. A fisherman rubbed his hands: "Many buy cigarettes, rum, souvenirs," he said, half-smiling. An older woman from the seafront shook hands: "We haven't seen something like this here in a long time."

The coming days will show how calm the visit remains. For the city, it means a strange coexistence: tourist bustle, political debates and the silent gaze at a ship almost as long as two football fields.