Barcelona Cruise Port Changes Course With Terminal Reductions

Key Aspects:

• The number of cruise terminals at Barcelona’s Adossat wharf will be cut from seven to five. 
• Terminals A, B, and C will be demolished, and a brand new terminal with a capacity for 7,000 guests will open at the location of terminal C by 2030.
• Additional measures are being taken to improve sustainability and mobility for cruise passengers within the port. 

As the busiest cruise port in the Mediterranean, Spain’s Port of Barcelona has been battling issues related to over tourism and pollution from cruise ship emissions for years.

 A partial cruise ban is already in effect that prohibits cruise ships from docking at the Northern docks (Muelle Barcelona Norte to the World Trade Center), already limiting docking areas from more than ten to just seven.

The next step in this plan, which is part of a 2018 agreement to regulate cruise ship activity between the city council and the bustling port, is to further cut down the number of cruise terminals on Adossat Wharf.

Adossat wharf, also known as Moll Adossat, is the primary cruise terminal on Barcelona’s south side.

It is currently home to seven cruise terminals, but under the new agreement, this will be cut down to five.

The oldest terminals, which are A, B, and C, will be demolished to create a brand new, state-of-the-art public terminal where the current terminal C is standing.

Once completed, the new facility will have the ability to welcome up to 7,000 cruisers simultaneously.

The remaining terminals will still be privately owned. For reference, terminals D and E are operated by Carnival and terminal H is operated by MSC Cruises.

Terminal G is still under construction, but is expected to open for Royal Caribbean ships in 2027.

Demolition of terminal C will begin at the end of 2026, construction of the new facilities will kick off in 2027, and the new and improved terminal is expected to be ready by 2030.

To give the cruise lines time to plan, demolition of terminals A and B won’t begin until the second half of 2028.

Improved Mobility and Sustainability

The investment to reorganize cruise infrastructure will cost an estimated €185 million ($215,013,475 USD), which is in addition to the €265 million ($307,999,859.30 USD) investment already made for the earlier 2018 agreement.

Local authorities will be making every penny of their investment count with improved mobility for cruise guests and updating infrastructure to be more environmentally friendly.

For example, the terminals will be adapted to offer shore power, which is an environmentally friendly option many cruise lines have already adopted as they work to become carbon neutral.

“These actions represent a public-private investment of 185 million euros, which adds to the investments made under the 2018 agreement, and confirm the Port of Barcelona’s commitment to the sustainable development of cruise activity,” José Alberto Carbonell, president of the Port of Barcelona, said, in part.

As part of the improvements, the Porta d’Europa Bridge will be expanded to incorporate cycle and pedestrian paths, which will help improve mobility on the wharf.

Additionally, an urban corridor will be created along the Montjuïc coastline that will eventually connect Plaça de les Drassanes with the Marina del Prat Vermell and the Zona Franca.

This route will come with a variety of public transportation options and will be able to accommodate bikers and pedestrians, which should also help to ease traffic.

Additionally, a long-term study will be conducted to evaluate the mobility of cruise ship passengers.

As part of this, a shuttle service will be provided. While this service will be used to collect data, it’s also convenient because the walk from the wharf to the city center can take around 25 minutes.

Catie Kovelman

Catie is an award-winning journalist and researcher. By day, she helps market new movies and TV shows as a senior research manager. But by night, she loves writing cruise news. In addition to Cruise Hive, Catie has contributed to a variety of newspapers, magazines, and other online publications, such as The Plaid Horse, Unwritten, YourTango, Fangirl Nation Magazine, Chapman Magazine, the Orange County Register, and Voice of OC.