× Expand Photo by Marcel Sala Moll Adossat, Barcelona's cruise ship port. Photo by Marcel Sala.

Barcelona is the most popular stop in Europe for cruise ship passengers. Official figures show that more than 750 cruise ships carrying 2.68 million passengers passed through the Port of Barcelona in 2016, making it the sixth-largest cruise ship port in the world, and the largest in Europe—followed by the Balearic Islands in ninth place and Venice in 14th. The cruise industry brings investment to Barcelona, attracting international businesses and providing jobs for thousands of people. But it’s a buoyant industry facing mounting criticism.

In recent years, there have been increasing calls for the city council to protect Barcelona and its people from the negative environmental impact of the cruise liners, and to ease the congestion brought about by the daily influx of tourists. The biggest challenge that the local government faces is how to prioritise sustainability without harming the industry’s growth. It is just one aspect of the city's attempt to wrestle control over tourism.

The development of the cruise ship industry in Barcelona is a relatively recent phenomenon, reflecting the city’s tourism boom. In 1990, just 115,000 passengers passed through the port. Though the establishment of Barcelona’s Junta de Obras del Puerto (Board of Port Construction) in the late-19th century gave rise to the first infrastructures and companies geared towards the port's development, the Spanish Civil War and decades of dictatorship under Franco inhibited the industry’s progress.

When democracy was restored in the late Seventies, a selection of cruise companies began to dock here, but it wasn’t until the 1992 Olympics that Barcelona really started to take off as a leading cruise ship destination. The remodelling of Port Vell and the establishment of the Autoritat Portuaria de Barcelona (Port Authority of Barcelona) were both critical to the development of the industry, while the tourist board worked to promote the city’s image as an attractive and interesting tourist destination.

After the Olympics put Barcelona on the map, there was a steady increase in the number of cruise ships incorporating Barcelona into their routes. As well as its new-found popularity as a tourist destination, the city was also recognised for its convenient position within the Mediterranean basin and proximity to other popular European ports.

Alfredo Serrano, Director General of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in Spain, proudly points out a 2014 report, Cruise Activity in Barcelona, published by the Port de Barcelona and Turisme de Barcelona and researched by the University of Barcelona.Findings show that the industry in Barcelona generates a turnover of €796 million, contributes €413.2 million per year to Catalunya’s GDP and helps to maintain 6,759 jobs.

Investment in infrastructure projects at the port and airport has led international cruise operators, such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean, to open offices in Barcelona. Additional cruise-related spending in other areas, such as logistics, manufacturing and waste management, ensures that 40 percent of the jobs underpinned by the cruise industry are based in non-tourist sectors.

The growth of the industry here also reflects a global trend. “The Port of Barcelona saw an opportunity and has been able to make the most of it,” Serrano explained, stating that the growth of Barcelona's cruise industry serves as “an example of success that other cities want to follow”.

No matter how impressive the economic data, however, it is hard to deny the environmental impact of cruise ships and their passengers. Research shows that cruise tourists consider noise, air quality and general cleanliness as Barcelona’s biggest drawbacks. Ironically, local residents and community groups say that these issues are created by the cruise industry itself.

Most cruise liners run on marine or heavy fuel oil (HFO), a highly polluting variant of diesel. Daniel Rieger, a transport officer at German environment group Nabu, told The Guardian: “One cruise ship emits as many air pollutants as five million cars going the same distance.” HFO has a high sulphur content, which is damaging to the environment and, due to its extra-fine microparticles, has been proven to increase respiratory problems. Speaking on 'Dispatches', an investigative current affairs programme produced by Channel 4 in the UK, Dr. Matt Loxham of the University of Southampton said that the toxicity of cruise ship emissions is comparable to that found in some of the world's most polluted cities.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO)—the United Nations agency charged with regulating international shipping—has pledged to stop the use of HFO by 2020. In the meantime, cruise companies are fitting their ships with exhaust gas cleaning systems, which filter up to 80 percent of the most harmful pollutants.

In Barcelona, air quality is a major cause for concern. Average pollutant levels surpass those recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). If Barcelona’s air quality complied with WHO recommendations, research shows that 659 premature deaths could be avoided annually and 47 days would be added to the life expectancy of citizens. A range of initiatives aim to improve air quality—including, from 2019, a ban on cars older than 20 years—although it is not clear what action will be implemented in relation to the cruise ship industry, besides the IMO pledge.

In June 2016, there were protests as Royal Caribbean's Harmony of the Seas, the world’s largest passenger ship, docked in Barcelona. Hosting the 366-metre-long ship—which can transport 9,000 people—was one step too far for environmentalists and concerned residents. Described as a “floating city”, the ship boasts 23 swimming pools, 20 restaurants, a casino and a 1,400-capacity theatre. To keep all of this running, it burns thousands of litres of fuel per day. The following month, a record 65,000 passengers came through the port in one weekend; an immense number to descend upon the city all at once.

Inès Bacardit, a 40-year-old Barcelona native, remembers the furore around the Harmony of the Seas but feels that it was just one highly publicised event that is representative of a wider problem. “Cruises are a serious inconvenience for the city at different levels,” she asserted. “They threaten public health through pollution, generate a huge amount of waste and the arrival of thousands of cruise passengers causes serious problems for residents trying to get around the city.”

For Bacardit, tourists arriving on cruise ships do not have the time, nor the inclination, to experience the real Barcelona. "They're not really interested in getting to know the city in depth. They just want to see the main sights quickly and buy some souvenirs. Concerned resident Inés Lambisto, 31, from Barcelona, believes that this kind of ‘fast food’ cultural experience is damaging to the city: “Cruises promote a mass tourism that is unsustainable from the point of view of the citizen,” she claimed.

The official figures seem to support their arguments. Forty-eight percent of passengers are in transit—'excursionist' passengers who do not stay overnight—and have an average of just 4.3 hours to explore Barcelona, although 91.5 percent say they would like to return in the future.

So, who are Barcelona's cruise ship passengers and why do they choose to visit? For Mike Williams, 67, from the UK, Barcelona wasn't the decisive factor when booking his trip, and the itinerary only afforded four hours to explore—just enough time to visit the Sagrada Família and take a walk along La Rambla. "We loved the church, the Gothic Quarter and the ease of walking," Mike said. "It was easy to get into the heart of the city and there was lots to see."

Ian Jenkins, 48, also from the UK, had a similar experience. "We had more or less a full day in Barcelona," he recalled, explaining that he and his young family took a trip to Park Güell and spent the rest of the time exploring the old town. "The kids loved all the history, and we've been keen to come back ever since."

Williams and Jenkins spent approximately €50 and €70 on their respective day trips to Barcelona, highlighting another issue. With accommodation, bars, restaurants and entertainment all taken care of on board, tourists from cruise liners provide little economic benefit to local businesses. Excursionist passengers spend an average of €53 per day, just one third of what an ordinary visitor would spend (€156).

All things considered, the current situation is unsustainable. Effective regulation will require close collaboration between the industry’s many stakeholders—the port authority, local government, cruise ship companies, visitors and residents, to name a few.

Not surprisingly, each stakeholder takes a different stance. Alfredo Serrano insisted that the CLIA is committed to promoting “sustainable, respectful, organised and high-quality tourism” in collaboration with the local authorities. He does not believe, however, that cruise operators are responsible for congestion. “Cruise companies plan their stops two years in advance,” he explained. This should allow for better control and organisation of the flow of visitors.

Daniel Gonzalez Gomez, Operations Manager at Intercruises—the company that provides ground handling and port agency services to cruise ships in Barcelona—agrees with Serrano. While he acknowledges that crowds of tourists can be a problem, Gonzalez argues that cruise tourism is carefully scheduled. Still, to ensure a more even spread of visitors, he believes that cruise companies should schedule more calls during low season (December to March) and less during the rest of the year.

When questioned about the environmental impact of the industry, Gonzalez struggled to explain what cruise companies are actually doing to promote sustainable practice. "The new ships coming to the city are up-to-date with the latest environmental regulations," he said, highlighting that their waste is recycled and that they now run on a lighter, less damaging fuel when docked. This still involves burning thousands of litres of fuel, however, to ensure that the facilities on board the respective ships can run as normal. The EU and other international organisations are now making steps to ensure that the ships have the ability to connect to power sources onland when they are stationary.

Serrano, meanwhile, is resistant to the idea of introducing further restrictions. He claimed that today's cruise ships are “modern and efficient” and comply with all international standards. “The companies that belong to CLIA take this commitment very seriously,” he said.

Going forward, the industry shows no signs of slowing down. This year, 867 cruises are scheduled to stop in Barcelona, and there are plans for a new terminal to open in April, designed to accommodate a new class of green cruise ships operated by liquefied natural gas.

On a positive note, Ada Colau and the Port Authority recently annouced that there will be a major reorganisation of the port by 2022. This will consolidate all ferry and cruise activity in the Moll Adossat area (where the cruise ships currently dock), distancing it from the city centre and freeing up the Drassanes and Barcelona docks. This will also limit the total number of ferry and cruise ship terminals to seven—one less than the current situation.

Meanwhile, for many local residents congestion is the priority. Lambisto, for one, would like to see greater emphasis placed on 'creative tourism', encouraging visitors to spend time exploring different neighbourhoods, visiting independent shops and lesser-known attractions across the city and region. This could help to ease pressure on the city's infrastructure in the most overcrowded areas. The aim would be to achieve a more even spread of visitors and enable the economic benefits of the cruise industry to be felt more widely.

More overnight stays and less ‘hop-on hop-off’ tourism would also benefit local businesses. In contrast to the daytripper, cruise ship passengers who stay overnight in the city spend an average of €202 per day. Spending more time in Barcelona allows for these passengers to get to know the city better, shop locally and visit areas away from the major tourist sights.

The major attractions, however, are the very thing that people come to see, even if the real charm is found in the unique character of each neighbourhood. It is seemingly impossible to satisfy each stakeholder’s wish list, but a delicate balance must be struck in order to reduce congestion, promote local businesses and protect the environment without harming the cruise industry.