Carnival Corporation, the world’s main cruise ship company, to invest €20 million in a new terminal in Barcelona

Barcelona (ACN).- The Port of Barcelona will have a new terminal for Carnival cruise ships by 2016. The US company announced on Friday that it will invest €20 million to build a terminal capable of serving ‘post panamax’ cruise ships. These boats can transport 4,500 passengers in ‘turnaround’ operations, which means starting and ending the trip in Barcelona. The new facility will have an area of 10,000 square metres. It will be called Terminal E and located at Barcelona harbour’s Adossat Dock. Carnival Corporation explained that the investment aims to adapt to the sector’s future needs, which point towards larger boats. With this investment, Barcelona strengthens its position as Europe’s and the Mediterranean Sea’s main centre for cruise ships, being also the world’s fourth largest port for this industry. Additionally, more cruise vessels will have the Catalan capital as their main base for operations. This year, Barcelona expects to receive 2.6 million cruise ship passengers. In 2012, these tourists brought €300 million into the city’s local economy.

The Port of Barcelona has leased the construction and management of Terminal E to Carnival Corporation. This cruise ship company leads the world market, with 102 operational vessels and 7 more being built. The US company annually transports 10 million passengers and operates with 10 commercial brands: Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Cunard (with charismatic boats such as the Queen Mary or the Queen Elisabeth), Seabourn, Costa Crociere, Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia, AIDA Cruises and Iberocruceros.

On Friday morning, a Carnival Corporation delegation met with the President of the Catalan Government, Artur Mas, the Mayor of Barcelona, Xavier Trias, and the President of Barcelona’s Port, Sixte Cambra. The corporate delegation was formed by Carnival Corporation’s Executive Vice President, Giora Israel, Vice President Michel Nestour and four additional executives. In the meeting the final investment was disclosed and later announced to the press. Besides the €20 million investment by the US company, the Port of Barcelona will also invest €3.5 million to improve the urban space and the signs close to the terminal.

In 2005, Carnival Corporation funded and built Terminal D of Barcelona’s Port, also known as Palacruceros Terminal, which it has operated since then. It is also located on the Moll Adossat Dock. This terminal will soon be enlarged with the construction of an adjacent building of 1,300 square metres.