In an effort to reduce pollution and overtourism, Barcelona has banned passenger ships from docking at its central port beginning October 22, 2023. The ban encompasses both the Muelle Barcelona Norte northern docks next to the World Trade Centre.
Instead cruise lines will need to dock at the southern docks at the larger Moll Adossat Pier which is already in use by larger cruise ships such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises. The southern docks are further away from the popular La Rambla district meaning guests disembarking in Barcelona will now have a 30-minute shuttle ride or a 55-minute walk over a bridge to the city.
Barcelona is also limiting the number of cruise ships that can visit its ports from ten per day to seven.
Barcelona has been trying to enact these changes since 2018. At that time, the port of Barcelona set up the Cruise Sustainability Council with the goal of regulating the arrival of cruise ships. In 2019, Mayor Ada Colau also promised to regulate cruise ships in the city. Local politicians have gone so far as to compare tourists to a “plague of locusts.”
Although the ban does not officially take place until the end of the month, October 3, 2023 was the last day a cruise ship was able to dock at the northern port. Port of Barcelona president, Lluis Salvado called it a “historic day for the city” and said, “We are pushing the pollution away, towards the south and reducing the emissions that reach the city. The closure of the Barcelona northern docks for cruise operations is a new step to comply with the agreement signed in 2018 with the Barcelona municipal government to eliminate the negative impact that this activity could produce for citizens.”
Barcelona is not the first city to enforce strict regulations against cruise line. Cities around the world like Venice, Amsterdam, Sitka and more are enacting regulations to reduce tourist congestion and the pollution that cruise ships bring.