The city of Barcelona (Spain) will reduce its cruise terminal count from 7 to 5 by 2030 in response to rising concerns over overcrowding and urban strain.
This development follows a 20% increase in cruise passengers between 2018 and 2024, and a further 21% rise in ship calls and 20% growth in passenger numbers in the first 5 months of 2025.
Under a new agreement between the Barcelona City Council and the Port Authority, three aging terminals—A, B, and C on the Adossat wharf—will be demolished. In their place, a modern public terminal will be built on the site of Terminal C, with capacity for 7,000 passengers and prioritising homeport itineraries and smaller ships. The restructuring is expected to reduce the port’s maximum daily cruise passenger capacity from 37,000 to 31,000—a 16% decrease.
An EUR 185 million public–private investment will support the terminal overhaul, including an EUR 50 million renovation of a 610-metre wharf section and upgrades to enable onshore power supply (OPS), reducing emissions from docked vessels. Infrastructure improvements will also include a new pedestrian and cycle corridor beneath Montjuïc and an EUR 90 million upgrade to the Porta d’Europa bridge.
Mayor Jaume Collboni described the move as the first legal cap on cruise growth in Barcelona, thanking the Port for recognising the need for managed tourism. He emphasised that tourism management requires both limits and better planning.
However, José Antonio Donaire—the city’s Commissioner for Sustainable Tourism—warned that visible effects are unlikely until the works are complete in 2030, and passenger numbers could yet exceed 2024 records in the short term.
Economically, cruise tourism contributes approximately EUR 1 billion to the city's annual revenues and EUR 562 million to Catalonia's GDP, with cruise passengers spending an average of EUR 230 per day—significantly higher than typical tourists. City officials believe that a more structured cruise model can preserve these benefits while reducing local impacts.