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Palma.—Work on expanding Palma's cruise ship quays is well on track after beginning at the end of March. The project, which is costing over 36 million euros, was devised to adapt the Port of Palma for the new breed of super liners which are being built to meet the needs and demands of the ever expanding cruise industry.

With Palma continuing to be one of the most popular ports in the Western Mediterranean and the world's largest cruise lines, such as the America line Carnival, having moved into the European market this year, Palma Port Authority had no choice but to begin extending the docking quays in order to handle the super liners now cruising the Mediterranean.

The cruise industry, which has enjoyed a boom decade already, is forecast to continue growing with holidays at sea no longer an expensive luxury but affordable for all and with some liners especially designed for families with children in mind.

So, in order to maintain its dominant position in the market, Palma has had to invest in expanding the port.
However, plans to switch the cruise ferry from Paraires, which it shares with the ferry terminal, to the commercial docks in front of the Cathedral to provide cruise passengers with easier and instant access to the city centre, appear to have been put on hold.

The new quays will be able to handle liners of over 300 metres in length.