The Port Olímpic administration does not want people to live on the boats moored here. For some time now he has been trying to convince these people to abandon these practices. In addition, it is also redoubling its efforts to finish banishing vacation rentals from some ships now that the Port Olímpic is immersed in a major remodeling.
A woman says that six years ago they bought a boat and started living on these docks. “My husband, our son, his partner and I – she explains, somewhat sadly –… We did it for money, because there was no way to find a reasonable rental, because living on a boat is much cheaper… But Lately the port administration has not stopped giving us trouble, requiring documentation, warning us that living on a moored boat is illegal and that they will not renew our mooring and we cannot be left without electricity or water! and, well, we don’t want problems, so we move, we go to another port… The only advantage of these moves is that you don’t have to pack anything. It makes me sad, I work here next door, at the Hospital del Mar, and so many people live here that they even lived in a neighborhood.” This woman prefers to maintain her anonymity and not reveal details about her ship because she fears that in her new port they will receive her from nails. “Some ports cause more problems than others. Here they didn’t tell us anything for a long time, but now…”
Another middle-aged woman says that in 2019 she planned to sail the Mediterranean with her husband, but that the pandemic and health problems disrupted their lives. “We ended up living in this little boat. It is above all an economic issue. Maybe around 70 people live in Port Olímpic, maybe more, some for a long time, and most of them to save costs. Others spend long periods of time, but their residence is different. The atmosphere between us is very good.” Its small deck is reminiscent of a balcony, with very homely details. “We were always fine here, until the City Council took over management. It’s not that they’re suddenly going after all of us at the same time. They send letters, one day to one, another day to another, complaining, while informally letting us know that sooner or later we will have to leave.” That is why this woman also wants to remain anonymous. “In order not to tempt fate, let’s not be next.”
Walking through these docks one meets many people who recognize that they live here. Some walk their dog calmly. But most prefer to go unnoticed. “Here we always lived like in a neighborhood, and we didn’t bother anyone,” they say, between indignation and bitterness. But now they are renovating the Port Olímpic, they are making it beautiful, and they don’t want to see panties hanging out and things like that.”
Sources from BSM, the municipal company that has managed this infrastructure since 2020 – after the delegation of powers by the Generalitat to the Consistory – emphasize that they are not carrying out any campaign, they are only trying to enforce the regulations of the Generalitat of 2019 and the regulations of this infrastructure, “texts that expressly prohibit both residential and tourist uses.” What happens is that other Catalan ports interpret the Generalitat’s restrictions on residential uses much more flexibly. “Detecting residential uses is complicated – BSM sources continue – given the abundance of transient vessels that can legally remain in the port for long periods. We treat different cases in an individualized way, prioritizing the well-being of the people and the safety of the facilities. “We are very attentive to those vessels whose condition may pose some type of problem.” And when a tourist use is detected, a vacation rental, the Port Olímpic sends the owner of the boat a request to remind him of the prohibition and demand that the activity cease. “If it persists, Port Olímpic cancels its contract. Then the owner has to abandon the equipment. If not, the port itself can move the vessel to an area without services in order to put an end to these irregular uses.” In reality the profiles are very varied.
“I have had two boats in the Port Olímpic since spring, more or less since I arrived in Barcelona,” says another user, “one I used as a home and the other I rented on Airbnb. I thought it was a good idea, especially given the prices of apartments in this city. A boat costs you 25,000 euros, and a house… But the port started sending me emails, but the address was wrong… and in the end they took one of my boats to an area we call the pool, where you don’t have “No water or electricity, and I don’t want any more problems with the port, at all, because what I want is for them to let me organize charters and things like that, so now I live in an apartment, like everyone else.”
“I suppose they will kick me out soon,” says a 76-year-old man, “I have a trial at the beginning of the month, because I have some late payments, because my mooring became more expensive… and at worst they will even seize my boat.” . See what happens. I worked here, in the Port Olímpic, and after I retired, I bought a boat to live on, because I had a few problems and it seemed like a good idea, and my son helps me and all that, but… “
