Barcelona’s Cruise Ship Restrictions: A Step Towards Sustainable Tourism
As part of ongoing efforts to combat overtourism in Europe’s most popular urban destinations, Barcelona will permanently restrict cruise ship access to its congested city-center harbor starting this month.
New Regulations Effective October 2023
New rules set to take effect from October 22, 2023, will relocate most of Barcelona’s cruise ship activity (including associated pollution) away from the busy, central World Trade Center pier. These measures are part of a €265 million project established between the Barcelona city council and the port authorities back in 2018, amid concerns about the environmental and social impact of the cruise industry on the Catalan capital and its residents.
Changes at the World Trade Center Pier
The World Trade Center pier is currently Barcelona’s most central wharf, just a 10-minute walk from popular attractions. However, cruise ships will no longer be permitted to dock at its North Terminal. Instead, passengers will disembark at the newer Moll d’Adossat terminal located at the south end of the city (near Montjuïc) and then travel via a 30-minute bus transfer to reach the center.
Rising Numbers of Cruise Tourists
According to Spanish newspaper El País, around 2.32 million cruise tourists arrived in Barcelona in 2022, occurring over 805 layovers. While this figure is lower than the record 3.1 million cruise-ship tourists in 2019, the ongoing influx means thousands more people each day navigate the busy streets of a city with a population of just 1.63 million. Reports predict approximately three million cruise-ship visitors for 2023.
Protests and Public Response
Most cruise passengers typically spend only a few hours in Barcelona, often visiting popular areas like the Barri Gòtic or landmarks such as Antoni Gaudí’s famous Sagrada Família. Earlier this year, a group of Barcelona residents organized a protest demanding a total ban on cruise ships in Catalonia by 2025.
Future Prospects for Barcelona’s Harbor
Currently, the number of cruise ships allowed to dock in Barcelona at one time will eventually be limited to just seven. The Southern Terminal is expected to close by 2026, and the now-disused North Terminal area will be transformed for pedestrian use after the America’s Cup in late 2024. In fact, the final boat to dock at this terminal departed in early October.
Aligning with Global Trends
With these new regulations, Barcelona is following the lead of various other European cities that have already restricted cruise ship activity for environmental reasons. For example, Palma de Mallorca has limited cruise arrivals to three per day, while Venice has banned large cruise ships from its center entirely. Similar restrictions were also introduced in Amsterdam earlier this year.
Starting in 2026, plans are in place for cruise ships arriving in Barcelona to connect with the city’s general electricity network, enabling them to use 100% renewable energy while docked instead of relying on their own polluting engines.
While there remains a long road ahead, these developments are promising for Barcelona, a city that, like many around the world, is striving to establish a more sustainable tourism trajectory.
