MSC Cruises has been granted final approval for the construction of a new, exclusive terminal in the Port of Barcelona. MSC has been granted a 31-year license to manage and operate the €33m terminal, which will cover 11,670 square metres.
Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman, said: “We are particularly pleased with the award of this multi-year new terminal concession. Barcelona is not only an important homeport for the cruises division, but also for the entire Group and its shipping business. As such, the new terminal is a further proof of MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to the city of Barcelona and the entire Catalonia region.
The terminal will be constructed by Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill of RBTA, who also constructed the extension of Barcelona Airport ahead of the 1992 Olympics and the National Theatre of Catalonia. Pierfrancesco Vago said that the “state of the art” new terminal will be a “landmark” for the city.
“Perhaps most importantly,” he continued, “the new terminal will allow us to operate expanded homeport operations, resulting in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and the overall region.
“This will come from higher spent locally by our international guests either flying into or out of Barcelona airport and likely to spend additional days in the city and its hotels together with their traveling parties. Homeport operations will also allow us to dedicate to Barcelona more of our new ships – including the LNG-powered MSC World Europa which is currently under constructions and is shaping up to become one of the most environmentally friendly ships at sea when she comes into service.”
