ship

Proactiva Open Arms returns to country after standoff with anti-immigration politician

Spain prevents Open Arms vessel from leaving Barcelona's port as city awards NGO with Gold Medal

First 'MSC World Cruise' to and from the Catalan capital will visit 32 countries in six continents over 119 days

Four containers damaged but no injuries, wind and severe sea said to be cause of incident

Spanish president Pedro Sánchez offers to take in stranded ship to avoid humanitarian crisis as Barcelona also makes its port available

2018 expected to best year on record for the Port of Palamós

14k meters squared of the maritime institution will also be freed up for public use

The officers living in the boat since September will be relocated to Catalan hotels

The large vessels in Barcelona and Tarragona are set to accommodate increased law enforcement leading up to October 1

A total of 2.7 million cruise travellers will have passed through the Port of Barcelona by the end of 2016, a figure that represents an increase of about 9-10% over 2015 and marks a new record. This was announced on Monday by the president of the Port of Barcelona, ??Sixte Cambra, who explained that until now the record stood at 2.6 million cruise passengers and was achieved in 2011. It is estimated that cruises this year will generate a turnover of almost €1,000 million, while the contribution to the Catalan GDP could reach €500 million. According to Cambra, these good results are primarily due “to the boost of activity as a home port, which grew 10% compared to last year”. 

The largest cruise ship in the whole world, the ‘Harmony of the Seas’, has set sail in the Mediterranean from the Port of Barcelona. Indeed, the Royal Caribbean cruise company has selected the Catalan capital as the base for its Mediterranean cruise ships. Thus, Barcelona is now the only city in the world to have served as a turnaround port for Royal Caribbean’s three biggest ships. The ‘Harmony of the Seas’ is gargantuan: a capacity of 9,000 people, weighing more than 200,000 tons, and offering access to two surf simulators, a natural park and the highest slide possible. This all helps to contribute to the success of the Port of Barcelona: this 2016, the record from 2011 is expected to be equalled, with 2.6 million passengers welcomed at the Port, through 750 stopovers from the 40 cruise companies that operate at the infrastructure. Indeed, 30 million euros are forecast to be added to the economy of the Catalan capital.