José Alberto Carbonell: "Cruise passengers represent only 5% of Barcelona's tourism."

BarcelonaJosé Alberto Carbonell knows the Port of Barcelona like no one else. He has worked there for more than 30 years, the last 16 as its general manager. He was elected president in October 2024, leaving behind the more political appointments made in recent terms. After the hangover from the America's Cup, Carbonell has closed several projects in recent weeks, such as the agreement with the City Council. to reduce the number of cruise terminals and has completed one of the major future projects for the seafront as the second headquarters of the Liceu.

In recent years, Port Vell has been opening up spaces to the public. What's still pending?

— We've opened the Barcelona dock, but we still need to develop it. It's a project that will take time. We want the World Trade Center to face the sea. We'll also continue the Rambla from the Drassanes dock to the Barcelona dock. We'll do this with a fixed walkway that better connects to the WTC, smaller than the one at the Maremagnum.

The Peace Portal is still under construction.

— The opening will be in 2026, except for the ground floor, where the Port Center will be located, which will be completed around 2027. It will be a tool to explain ourselves to the general public. Otherwise, as has happened with the cruise ship debate, we end up being identified as a cruise port, and we are exactly the opposite. We are primarily a commercial port, with passengers having a significant impact, but that's just a part of it. Our strategic plan is much more focused on cargo. We want the public to know the Port. They don't love someone they don't know.

What weight do cruise ships have on the Port's bottom line?

— In terms of revenue, 8%, while containers account for almost 50%. We are a diversified port. Port Vell generates revenue from space rentals, then there's the logistics activities zone (ZAL), managed by Cilsa, which generates more revenue for the Port than all of cruise activity.

In 2024, cruise passengers surpassed 3.6 million, marking the second consecutive record year. Will a new record be broken in 2025?

— Yes, it's very likely. But I don't think the higher number than last year should cause any major concern. Cruise passengers represent only 5% of the city's tourism. If they represent 5%, they must also be responsible for 5% of the solutions. Three times as many tourists come from the coast to visit the city.

An agreement has been reached with the City Council to reduce the number of terminals from seven to five, with a capacity of approximately 31,000 cruise passengers daily. Does this mean reducing the current capacity?

— Perhaps the reduction in terminals won't be reflected automatically. Today we have four cruise ships docked, and there's room for another. From a capacity perspective, you could expand significantly, but whether it makes commercial sense is another matter. Every year we say no to many cruise ship ladders because they don't fit. Sometimes they change days, and other times they opt for Tarragona.

The agreement also calls for the construction of a new terminal. What will it look like?

— It will be a public terminal that can serve ships from any company and will begin operating in 2030. Only ships from their own groups can dock at terminals that have MSC, Carnival, or Royal Caribbean. At the future Terminal C, the Barcelona Port Authority must decide who we prioritize. The maximum limit will be 7,000 cruise passengers. Let's not go by volume. We will also want to prioritize companies that don't have a terminal and small ships with fewer than 1,000 passengers, as well as those that are homeport cruise ships (which start and end their journey in Barcelona).

Another project underway will be the second Liceu campus.

— The Muelle de España is the only pier where we haven't touched the public spaces. The Liceu Mar will be the perfect opportunity to carry out a very intensive transformation project, allowing you to stroll and enjoy the area. We plan to invest approximately €25 million in the development alone.

The old IMAX is very close. What future does it have?

— We've reached an agreement with Barcelona City Council that there won't be two buildings at the same time. The Liceu will need a significant height, and no two buildings on the Quay of Spain will be the same size at the same time. Therefore, the IMAX will have to be lowered. It's well known that we were going to demolish it before the America's Cup, when an interpretation center for the competition was created. The building is owned by the Port, and the lease expires this month. But, at this point, I don't dare say we'll demolish it, but we will have to demolish the highest part, where the spherical screen and the stalls are. The space, with 2,000 square meters, can be used for other activities, but without the volume it has now.

The only space left to fill is the site where the Hermitage Museum was to be built.

— There's no shortage of ideas. There are no conversations with the City Council either. There aren't any projects to explain at the moment. The special plan would allow us to hold a competition tomorrow for an office building and commercial premises. I'm sure there would be a queue: due to its location and size, with 14,000 square meters built on a footprint of 3,000 square meters. Occupying that space is simple. But no, we don't want to. We believed it was too emblematic a space to do more, a more unique project with a public character. The Hermitage was an open building, with many public square meters. Concepts like that are what we would like. For now, we will continue to carry out activities like last week, when the national final of Red Bull Batalla [an improvised rap competition] was held, where no one is disturbed and we can attract people to the port. It's not a closed and fenced lot in the Eixample. It's a large, open space that we paved for the America's Cup, where we can develop activities like this.

Are you upset about not having a second edition of the Copa América?

— From the Port of Barcelona's perspective, not from the city's perspective, the balance has been very positive. It has catalyzed a series of projects that had yet to be realized. These events, which have a fixed date, help unite everyone's efforts.