October 16, 2019 - In 2020, the port authority of the Balearic Islands expects 550 visits by cruise ships to Palma de Mallorca alone. Seven ships are expected in Palma over two days. That is grist to the mill for the anti-cruise initiative. Its members and supporters are demanding that a maximum of one cruise ship be allowed to enter. However, the island government is playing for time and does not want to commit itself to limiting ship calls.
Cruise ship at the Estacio Maritima Num 2 in Palma
The port authority of the Balearic Islands informs on its website that 550 cruise ships have reported for Palma's port in the coming year. The main rush is between May and October 2020. On April 11 and October 10, seven ships are registered. Measured against the size of the ships, up to 17.000 additional visitors can be expected on these days. A change in the unfortunate situation for many residents of the Balearic capital would not be expected until 2022. The route planning of the shipping companies has been determined up to and including 2021.
Oasis of the Seas - one of the big ships in Palma
There is a protest against cruise ships in Palma: 10.000 supporters petition to limit the number of calls to one ship per day and a maximum of 4.000 passengers. On the one hand, the island government is looking for solutions, on the other hand it does not want to commit itself to numbers. On the occasion of the Seatrade Europe cruise fair held in Hamburg in September 2019, representatives of the Balearic Islands sought a dialogue with the shipping companies on this sensitive issue, but no binding regulations were found. In contrast, representatives of the business and retail associations underline the importance of the cruise industry for Palma's economy. The associations probably also welcome the intention of the regional government to invest 296 million euros in Palma's port and infrastructure in the coming years.
