Cruise ships: Barcelona to have a cruise ship pollution tax

As with cruise ships in Palma, Barcelona town hall is seeking limits. | Archive

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma03/06/2022 11:35

Barcelona will shortly apply three tourist taxes to cruise ships that call at its port. The Catalonia minister for climate action, Teresa Jordà, said on Thursday that a new tax for cruise ships will be approved "in the coming weeks" to address the pollution they cause.

The new tax will be on top of the Catalonia government's tourist tax, which for cruise passengers is three euros for a stay of more than twelve hours and one euro for a stay of under twelve hours, and the daily surcharge of 1.75 euros that has been specifically set for Barcelona.

Jordà added: "We expect to be able to present, in the coming weeks, the government's proposal to regulate emissions in the port areas of Catalonia, and we will be delighted to be able to share with Barcelona town hall the work carried out and the formula for this tax."

This announcement was a response to a letter sent by the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, to the ministry of transport and the Port of Barcelona on May 24, in which she proposed creating a working group of different authorities to limit the number of cruise ships, just as Palma has done.