Key Aspects:
- Barcelona Cruise Port has received approval to develop a new Terminal C as part of a €104.5 million investment.
- This 11,253-square-meter terminal will feature solar power generation and shore power infrastructure for docked cruise ships.
- The agreement extends the port operator’s contract until 2050, with an option to extend it through 2053.
Barcelona Cruise Port, which operates terminals in the Mediterranean’s busiest cruise port, is getting a major upgrade. The port announced on October 30, 2026 that it has received approval from the Port of Barcelona’s Board of Directors to develop a new cruise terminal at Adossat Wharf.
The new terminal will replace Terminal C and cover 11,253 square meters (approximately 121,100 square feet). More than €50 million of the project’s total planned investment of €104.5 million is earmarked for constructing the facility.
Operations at the current Terminal C ceased on November 1, 2026. The building will soon be emptied and demolished in preparation for construction.
The port says passenger experience, operational efficiency, and sustainability are at the forefront of the terminal project. The facility will feature solar power generation and shore power infrastructure.
This project will also relocate the current Adossat Wharf access roundabout and build new roads. A passenger walkway will be constructed for boarding and disembarking.
“The new Terminal C will allow us to deliver a modern, efficient and sustainable facility that enhances the cruise experience while supporting Barcelona’s long-term development as a leading cruise destination,” said Francesc Grau, General Manager of Barcelona Cruise Port.
As part of the agreement, Barcelona Cruise Port’s contract to operate cruise terminal facilities at the port has been extended through 2050, with an option to continue through 2053. The board also approved opening up bids for contractors to supply building and infrastructure maintenance at the port.
The new Terminal C will be accessible to the public and open to all cruise lines. Cruise lines without their own terminal, ships starting or ending cruises in Barcelona, and smaller ships will be given berths first.
The announcement comes days after a protest at the Barcelona Cruise Port. On October 28, 2026, port workers blocked access to the cruise terminal as part of a protest over a collective bargaining dispute.
Barcelona’s Wider Cruise Port Overhaul
The now-approved terminal project was first announced in July 2025. At the time, it was reported that the new terminal would be scheduled for completion in 2030 and have the ability to welcome up to 7,000 simultaneous passengers.
When the new Terminal C enters service, Terminals A and B will be demolished. This will reduce the total number of cruise terminals at the Port of Barcelona from seven to five.
It is unknown if the previously announced construction timeline remains the same following the October announcement. The port has not released an updated construction schedule, though it reconfirmed the 7,000 simultaneous passenger limit.
This comes amid other efforts by Barcelona to move cruise activity away from the city center, as Cruise Hive has previously covered. In 2023, a partial ban was introduced, preventing cruise ships from docking at the World Trade Center’s northern terminal.
Other improvements and expansions to the port have been made in recent years. For instance, in 2024, Carnival’s Terminals D and E became the first terminals in the port to have solar panels installed.
Then, in February 2025, MSC Cruises officially welcomed its first guests through its Barcelona terminal. Built, owned, and operated by MSC with sustainability in mind, the terminal achieved Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
