Palma will receive in 2016 the Harmony of the Seas of Royal Caribbean
11/09/2015
In 2016 Palma port will receive theboat Harmony of the Seas of the company Royal Caribbean, a cruise similar to the Allure of the Seas which has conquered everybody with its magnificence: 361 metres of length. The Harmony of the Seas has been built in 2015 and has a capacity for 5.400 passengers. Its arrival at Palma harbour consolidates the bet of the shipping line for the Balearic Islands. This is one of the novelties that the president of the PAB, Joan Gual de Torrella, has presented at the Seatrade Europe 2015, the largest cruise exhibition of the north of Europe, which is being held in Hamburg until the 11th of September. The Balearic Islands participate in the institutional stand Ports of Spain of State Harbours, which develops a campaign under the slogan “Blue Carpet: discover Spain on a blue carpet”. In fact, in 2016, Palma will also consolidate as the home harbour for other important companies such as Tui Cruises (with boats like the Mein Schiff 2) and Aida Cruises (with the AIDAblu or the AIDaura). Joan Gual de Torrella is attending this international fair with the intention of knowing the requests of the shipping lines for the following years and offering the necessary services in the harbours of general interest. “We want to consolidate the strengths that place us amongst the lead harbours in the reception of cruises, but we also travel to Hamburg to analyse the opportunities that will allow us to offer a better service to the shipping lines, to the cruise passengers and to the cities where they dock. Two million of passengers The Balearic Islands will almost reach the numbers of two million of cruise passengers and 795 cruise layovers in 2015, according to the estimate of the Port Authority of Balearic Islands (PAB). These numbers represent a rise of the 26% and 17% respectively in comparison with the data from the end of the fiscal year 2014. Palma is the port with the highest number of cruise calls: 475 in 2014, which will be probably 573 at the end of 2015. That represents a rise of the 20,6%. Consequently, the number of cruise passengers rises a 29,5%: from 1.336.512 in 2014 to 1.731.582 at the end of 2015. Ibiza is the following port in the reception of tourist cruises. 2015 will be closed with 123 cruise boats, in comparison with the 109 of 2014, which represents a rise of the 12,8%. The number of passengers have also risen a 15,28%, from 172.185 to 198.488. The number of cruise calls and passengers will decrease slightly at Mao port according to the predictions, with 85 cruise calls and 79.089 passengers in 2014 in comparison with 84 cruise calls and 64.100 passengers in 2015. In percentage terms the decrease is of the 2,3% and 19% respectively. La Savina port in Formentera would go from 6 to 10 cruise calls (a 66,6% more) and from 875 to 1.714 passengers (95,8%) more. In this case we are talking about small cruise boats that can anchor in authorised places and to which the Port Authority of Balearic Islands gives service. Finally, Alcudia would rise from 2 to 5 cruise calls and from 1.058 to 1.380 passengers in 2015 balance. Port’s investment Ports’ investment has already been planned. In Palma, West dock (Moll de Ponent) will be expanded, and the Maritime Station n.6, used mainly as a home port by the cruises arriving at Palma, will be built. On the other hand, Ibiza will have in 2016 two new docking lines that will allow for the arrival of cruises of large dimensions. A line for cruises of up to 375 metres and a second line for boat trips of up to 328 metres. Also in Mao port different investments that will allow the mooring of cruises of up to 280 metres long will be made. “We have to offer the best service to cruise boats. They have to be welcomed appropriately at the harbours because they are the doorway to our islands”, in the words of the president of the PAB.
