Royal Caribbean Group, through Catalonia Cruise Terminal G S.L, is the only shipping company that has finally submitted to the bidding competition for terminal G – and the last one – of the Port of Barcelona. The three companies that joined together to denounce the process before the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia, which led the port to withdraw the first competition and review the tender, have finally not submitted to the new call, as has become evident. during the public opening of offers.
Norwergian Cruise Line, Viking Ocean Cruises and Virgin Cruises filed a legal appeal because they considered that the port had made Royal Caribbean “a tailor-made suit,” leaving any other shipping company out of the bidding process. However, once the process was resumed again, there have been no more applicants than Royal Caribbean which, if there are no last-minute setbacks, will carry out the construction and operation of cruise terminal G, an infrastructure of 54,000 m² of surface. and a 450-meter dock line, which will allow cruise ships of more than 400 meters in length to dock in the Barcelona port, such as the recently inaugurated Icon of the Seas.
The complainant shipping companies have not commented on the decision not to appear, but their request has had repercussions on the North American multinational, which has divested itself of its shareholding interests in the port. One of the conditions of the tender was that the company that participated in the competition could not have majority interests in a terminal. Until recently, Royal Caribbean owned 38% of the shares of Barcelona Port Investment, the concessionaire that manages, through Creuers del Port de Barcelona, ??the cruise terminals A, B and C of the Adossat dock and the Nord and Sud terminals of the World Trade Center. Although the majority percentage was held by the Turkish company Global Ports Holding – now owner of 100% of the shares – Royal Caribbean decided to sell its participation after the complaint and after the port of Barcelona resumed the call for the terminal.
Thus, Creuers del Port de Barcelona, ??a company with 19 workers that closed the 2022 financial year with almost 19 million euros in turnover and 6.4 million in profits, has now been left with a single shareholder.
In this regard, Royal Caribbean maintains that “we have a long and successful relationship with the Port Authority of Barcelona, ??and Catalonia Cruise Terminal G S.L. has requested to build and operate a private terminal for Royal Caribbean Group. While the port evaluates the proposal, we hope to work on collaboration with local stakeholders and the community in general.
The plans for terminal G are to come into operation in 2026. This year, the terminal designed by Bofill being built by MSC is scheduled to open, with a budget of 33 million euros.