As of this month, Barcelona is set to implement new rules, significantly impacting the cruise ship industry operating in its waters. Among the key changes is the closure of Barcelona’s city centre to cruise ships, a move aimed at mitigating the negative effects of overtourism and pollution associated with the bustling industry.
Giant cruise vessels will no longer be permitted to dock at the city’s Muelle Barcelona Norte northern docks or the World Trade Centre. Instead, they will be redirected to the Moll d’Adossat pier, located south of the Catalonian capital. However, this new docking location poses an inconvenience for passengers, as it requires a 30-minute shuttle bus ride to reach the city centre.
In addition to the change in docking locations, Barcelona is imposing a stricter daily cap on the number of cruise ships allowed, reducing it from 10 to seven per day. This limitation aims to address concerns related to pollution and the strain of overtourism on the city’s infrastructure and local residents.
The decision to restrict cruise ship access to the city centre comes as Barcelona grapples with the title of being Europe’s busiest cruise port, welcoming over 2.7 million passengers annually. The city’s status as the worst cruise port for air pollution in Europe, as highlighted in a study conducted by the Transport & Environment NGO group last year, has spurred authorities to take decisive action.
Efforts to regulate the cruise industry’s impact on Barcelona began with an agreement reached in 2018 between the Port of Barcelona and the city council. The primary objective was to address the adverse effects of cruise tourism on the local community. In 2022, former Mayor Ada Colau voiced her support for daily ship caps, emphasizing that a significant portion of cruise visits lasted only a brief four hours, offering minimal economic benefits to the city.
Mayor Colau remarked, “They don’t give the city economic return, and thousands of people disembark, create great mobility issues and then leave. It is an industry we have to limit,” underscoring the need to balance economic interests with the well-being of residents and the environment.
These new regulations, scheduled to take effect on October 22, are anticipated to not only alleviate the strain of overtourism on Barcelona’s local population but also contribute to a reduction in exhaust emissions in the city centre. As the cruise industry navigates a changing landscape, these measures underscore the global trend toward prioritizing sustainable and responsible tourism practices.