The Barcelona City Council and the Port of Barcelona in Spain have entered into a new agreement to reorganise cruise activity by reducing the number of cruise terminals at the port.
Under the same agreement, the two parties will initiate a series of projects to improve passenger mobility and make it, "more sustainable," as part of the, "responsible management of cruises and improving the coexistence between port activity and the city," the Port of Barcelona said.
The focus of the new agreement involves reducing the number of cruise terminals from seven to five by demolishing the current terminals A, B and C, and building a new terminal on the site of terminal C. The resulting terminal will be public, being open to general use with a capacity to serve 7,000 passengers at any given time.
There will be a comprehensive overhaul of a 610-metre-long section of wharf, corresponding to current terminals A and B, to which end the Port of Barcelona will invest €50 million (US$60 million).
"These actions will make the port's cruise facilities some of the most modern and sustainable globally, offering the essential quality of service to accommodate home port operations (where the trip begins and ends), which provide the most added value to the city and have better airport connectivity," the Port of Barcelona said.
This transformation will give the Adossat wharf five cruise terminals: four are privately owned (current terminals D, E, G and H) and one will be public (the new terminal C). The new terminal will prioritise home port cruises and small vessels.
The agreement also includes a mobility improvement plan that would include expanding the Porta d'Europa bridge to improve mobility on the Adossat wharf and its secure connection; and building a public transport corridor for small vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians connecting Plaça de les Drassanes with the Marina del Prat Vermell and the Zona Franca.
The Port of Barcelona said the improvements will involve a public-private investment of €185 million (US$215 million), in addition to the €265 million (US$308 million) of public-private investment already undertaken under the previous agreement signed by the city council and the port in 2018 to reorganise cruise activity.