Several cruise ports in Spain restricted or banned cruise ship operations last year in a bid to reduce the number of ships entering and leaving Spanish ports, and there are also concerns about the ships’ environmental impact. However, these bans may be short-lived as the Spanish government investigates the legality of the new rules.
The news comes as two representatives called for stricter measures regarding cruise ships arriving in the Balearic Islands, with the government expressing the belief that current restrictions lack the necessary legal provisions. did.
Cruise restrictions for Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca
Since May 2022, the Port of Palma de Mallorca, one of Europe’s busiest cruise ports, has placed limits on the number of cruise ships that can call at the port each day. She has only three cruise ships, and only one of them can carry more than 5,000 guests.
In October 2023, Barcelona has imposed restrictions directly tied to the location of the city’s piers. Specifically, cruise ships are prohibited from entering the northern terminal (Barcelona Nord) near the World Trade Center pier. Instead, cruise ships will dock at the new Mall Dadsat terminal on the city’s southern edge. The number of vessels that can enter Barcelona is limited to her seven vessels at any given time.
Ibiza, a popular holiday and party island, said it wanted to follow similar measures as Palma de Mallorca and Barcelona.
But surprisingly, the restrictions put in place by the popular cruise port could come to an early end as the Spanish government said there is no legal framework for the measure.
Spanish government questions legal basis for restrictions
Spain’s Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility said the current legal framework does not support restrictions on cruise ships.
According to the news agency, the Department of Transportation responded to inquiries from Sens. Smar Felix Alonso and Vicen Vidal, who called for tighter regulations on cruise ship operations, including increased taxes, concerns about environmental impact, and the use of cleaner fuels. This led to some surprising comments from. european press.
Despite the increasing number of cruise ships heading to the Balearic Islands, the government said emissions from international maritime traffic, including cruise ships, are not regulated in Spain. This means that there is no legal basis for limiting the number of cruise ships sailing to Spanish ports based on cruise ship emissions. Barcelona is one of the most polluted ports in Europe.
The government also pointed out that of the total number of passenger ships that sailed in Spanish waters in 2021, cruise ships accounted for only 4.6%. It’s not surprising that this number is so low, considering the cruise industry has been closed for much of the year.
Ports and cities that restrict access to cruise ships will need to work with the major cruise lines represented by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). These actions also need to take into account the impact on coastal cities, self-government, and especially the tourism industry.
Related article: Quest to limit cruise ships in Alaska ports continues
In 2019, Spain’s cruise sector generated sales of approximately 6 billion euros and contributed significantly to the country’s GDP. This economic impact highlights the importance of the cruise industry to Spain’s economy and explains the government’s wariness about allowing ports and cities to limit the number of cruise ships.
