Talks were carried out with the main cruise lines this week in Hamburg. | R.L.

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Balearic government spokesperson Pilar Costa said yesterday that State Ports investment in Palma was “not compatible” with government intentions to limit cruise ships.

Costa referred to meetings this week at the Seatrade Europe fair in Hamburg involving the tourism minister Iago Negueruela and cruise operators.

These had proved to be fruitful, with the cruise companies having expressed a willingness to cooperate on regulating arrivals in Palma.

“It is positive that there has been sincere dialogue with the cruise companies.” The minister for the presidency stated that the government isn’t seeking to prohibit cruise ships but wishes to regulate them in order to prevent accumulations of ships on the same days and at the same times.

The initial talks in Hamburg have not produced anything concrete, but Costa explained that it had been proposed that cruise operators should introduce more staggering of stopovers.

She added that there won’t be any preferences for certain cruise operators rather than others and that the aim will be to have the most consensual plan possible.

Meanwhile, the opposition Partido Popular expressed their support for cruise tourism and criticised the government for failing to take into account the economic contribution made by cruises and the jobs that are created.

The PP leader, Biel Company, believed that it was incongruent that the government in Madrid (via the State Ports) should announce investment of 116 million euros in Palma while the Balearic government should wish to limit cruise ships.

Company called on President Armengol to recognise reports which highlight the positive effects of cruise tourism and to not take any decisions that will have a negative impact.