Barcelona’s existing cruise Terminal C is closing ahead of demolition and a €104.5 million project to build a larger, more environmentally advanced replacement on the same site.
The final cruise call at the current terminal was scheduled for 30 October 2026, with terminal operations formally ceasing on 1 November. The building will then be emptied and demolished as part of a wider agreement to reduce Barcelona’s cruise terminals from seven to five.
The replacement Terminal C will cover 11,253 square metres and incorporate photovoltaic electricity generation and onshore power supply equipment. Once the new facility enters service, the neighbouring Terminals A and B will also be demolished.
Existing Terminal C reaches the end of operations
The closure marks the end of passenger operations at one of the oldest cruise facilities on Barcelona’s Adossat wharf.
The Port of Barcelona previously identified 30 October as the date of the last cruise-ship call at Terminal C. Its latest project announcement states that operations will cease on 1 November, after which the process of emptying and demolishing the building will begin.
Those dates describe different stages of the closure rather than necessarily conflicting events: the final scheduled ship call precedes the formal end of terminal operations and the start of clearance work.
The port has not published a detailed demolition timetable in its latest announcement. The work will clear the site for the replacement public terminal.
Replacement project valued at €104.5 million
The wider Terminal C proposal presented by Creuers del Port de Barcelona involves an investment of €104.5 million. The Port says more than €50 million of that amount relates to construction of the future terminal building.
The project also includes relocating the roundabout providing access to Adossat wharf, constructing associated roads and intermodal areas, and adding a new passenger walkway for embarkation and disembarkation.
The future terminal will be public, meaning it will be available for general cruise-line use rather than being dedicated exclusively to one operator.
An earlier agreement between the Port and Barcelona City Council said the public facility would be designed to handle up to 7,000 passengers at any one time and would prioritise homeport calls and smaller vessels.
Why the €42 million figure is separate
The Terminal C project has sometimes been reported alongside a €42 million figure. According to the Port of Barcelona, that amount is the budget for a separate reconstruction of an ageing section of the Adossat wharf after the future terminal enters service and Terminals A and B are demolished.
The relevant stretch of wharf is approximately 660 metres long and was constructed more than 70 years ago. The Port expects the rebuilding work to begin in late 2029 and take 24 months.
It would therefore be inaccurate to describe the replacement Terminal C itself as a €42 million development. The currently stated investment for the replacement-terminal programme is €104.5 million, while the €42 million budget concerns the later wharf reconstruction.
New terminal to include shore power
The future Terminal C is designed to incorporate an onshore power supply system, commonly known as shore power.
Compatible cruise ships will be able to connect to the port’s electrical network while alongside, reducing the need to generate all of their electricity using onboard machinery. This can reduce local exhaust emissions and engine noise during port calls, although the overall environmental benefit also depends on the electricity source.
Photovoltaic generation will also form part of the terminal project. The Port has not yet published detailed figures for the planned generating capacity or the number of shore-power connection points specifically attached to Terminal C.
The electrical infrastructure forms part of Barcelona’s wider efforts to modernise cruise operations and move activity farther from the most central waterfront areas.
Terminals A and B will eventually be removed
Terminal C’s replacement is one stage of a larger reorganisation of the Adossat cruise area.
Once the new public Terminal C enters service, the existing Terminals A and B are due to be demolished. The space they occupy will then form part of the comprehensive wharf reconstruction.
The sequence is important because A and B are expected to remain available until the replacement facility can take over their role. Their removal will reduce the total number of Barcelona cruise terminals while allowing the port to rebuild infrastructure approaching the end of its working life.
The Port’s current plan will ultimately leave four privately operated terminals — D, E, G and H — alongside the new public Terminal C.
Barcelona will reduce cruise terminals from seven to five
The port redevelopment implements an agreement signed by the Port of Barcelona and Barcelona City Council in July 2025.
That agreement placed a limit of five cruise terminals on the port, down from seven, and provided for all cruise activity to be concentrated on the Adossat wharf. The authorities said the changes were intended to modernise facilities, improve mobility and better manage the relationship between cruise activity and the city.
The programme includes the closure of the South Terminal at the Barcelona wharf, improvements to the Porta d’Europa bridge and a new urban transport corridor. These are related projects but are not all included within the €104.5 million Terminal C investment.
The Port says the overall reorganisation will be fully implemented by 2030.
Concession extended to 2050
The Port’s management board has approved revisions to the concession held by Creuers del Port de Barcelona, which operates the current passenger Terminals A and B and is leading the Terminal C proposal.
The existing concession had been due to end in 2030, with a possible extension to 2033. Under the approved change, the concession associated with the new Terminal C will run until 2050 and may be extended to 2053.
The longer concession period supports the scale and duration of the planned private investment. It does not alter the future terminal’s status as a public facility available for general use.
Construction timetable remains a developing picture
Published Port documents describe a phased programme extending through the end of the decade. The existing terminal must first be emptied and demolished, followed by construction and commissioning of the replacement.
Some earlier planning material envisaged the new Terminal C becoming operational before the end of the decade, while the Port’s current agreement page lists full operation with three berthing positions in 2030.
The separately budgeted €42 million reconstruction of the former A and B wharf section is expected to start in late 2029 and last approximately two years.
As detailed design, tendering and demolition proceed, individual dates may be refined. Deck7 will treat later Port of Barcelona announcements as authoritative where they update the earlier indicative schedule.
Frequently asked questions
When did Barcelona Terminal C close?
The final scheduled cruise call was on 30 October 2026. The Port says operations at the existing terminal cease on 1 November, after which the building will be emptied and demolished.
How much will the new Terminal C cost?
The Port of Barcelona states that the replacement-terminal programme represents an investment of €104.5 million, with more than €50 million assigned to the new terminal building.
What does the €42 million budget cover?
It covers the later reconstruction of an approximately 660-metre section of Adossat wharf after Terminals A and B are demolished. It is not the stated cost of the new Terminal C.
Will the new terminal have shore power?
Yes. The plans include onshore power supply equipment for compatible ships as well as photovoltaic electricity generation.
Will Barcelona have fewer cruise terminals?
Yes. The port and city have agreed to reduce the total from seven terminals to five.
What will happen to Terminals A and B?
They are due to be demolished after the replacement Terminal C enters service. The underlying wharf section will then undergo extensive reconstruction.