The Port of A Coruña continues to boast the best figures in the entire northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, stretching from Lisbon to the French border. Last year, it once again demonstrated its capacity to accommodate large vessels, even simultaneously, and manage significant passenger flows. This was evidenced by the 20 double and three triple port calls recorded.
Among other notable milestones were the first port calls of the “Disney Magic,” one of the flagship vessels of the leading entertainment company, and the “Valiant Lady,” Virgin’s grand cruise ship. Another historic arrival was that of the imposing “Carnival Celebration,” which chose A Coruña as a stop for its maiden voyage. In addition, the “IONA,” P&O Cruises’ most innovative ship, powered by liquefied natural gas and boasting a carbon footprint with zero sulfur and nitrogen emissions, made its first appearance in the city.
The strongest months of 2022 were those of the autumn season, primarily October, with 24 port calls, the highest monthly total in the history of the Port of A Coruña. September was also very productive, with 21 calls. The spring season was the second most successful, with 19 calls in April and 18 in May. These figures highlight the port's important role in extending the tourist season beyond the summer months.
The President of the Port Authority, Martín Fernández Prado, highlighted the enormous economic impact generated by this large number of passengers, estimated at over 20 million euros. Furthermore, cruise traffic is a major driver of the city's promotion, serving as the primary gateway for international tourism. He also emphasized that the prestige achieved by the port of A Coruña in the sector was further solidified by hosting the Excellence Awards Gala, promoted by Cruises News Media Group, in this pivotal year marking the resumption of this major cruise industry event following the pandemic.
Fernández Prado praised these figures as “the excellent result of the intensive commercial work carried out to attract business, with the invaluable support of tour operators and travel agents, while simultaneously retaining existing customers thanks to a high level of service and continuous improvements to the facilities.” He also noted that 2022 “was a crucial year for assessing the strength of cruise destinations and their capacity for recovery after the pandemic, and the Port of A Coruña has passed the test with flying colors.”.
Regarding the forecasts for 2023, Fernández Prado indicated that new record figures are expected, surpassing even this year's passenger numbers and exceeding 140 port calls. Currently, the schedule includes 24 days of multiple port calls, five of them triple calls. Also noteworthy are the visits of new vessels such as the P&O "Arvia," measuring an impressive 345 meters in length and with a capacity for over 5,000 passengers, which has 15 calls scheduled at the port of A Coruña this year.
The “Viking Saturn” and Oceania’s “Vista” will also be visiting A Coruña for the first time. They will be joined by ships from major cruise lines that are already regular visitors to the port, such as the “Ventura,” the “MSC Virtuosa,” and the “AidaNova.” This year will also feature a major event: the Tall Ships Race. The Port of A Coruña will be the first Spanish stop on the popular tall ship race, which this year will pay tribute to the first circumnavigation of the globe, completed more than 500 years ago by Magellan and Elcano.
