Royal Caribbean is divesting its share of the cruise terminals in the Port of Barcelona.
After the bidding process for the new terminal, which had been suspended in March due to accusations that it was designed exclusively for the company, the US shipping company is divesting its 38% stake in the Barcelona concessionaire and selling the shares to its capital partner Global Ports Holding, which will now control the entire shareholding.
Global Port Holdings consolidates its position as the world's largest operator
While awaiting the outcome of the new tender, Carnival manages two other terminals at the adjacent pier, and MSC is working to have Terminal F ready by 2024. Royal Caribbean is the only one of the major global operators that does not have its own infrastructure.
It remains to be seen on what terms the tender for the last terminal of the Port of Barcelona will be decided, which was suspended in March after Norwegian Cruise Line, Viking Oceania Cruises and Virgin Cruises complained that it had been tailor-made for Royal.
The terminal known as Terminal G will have an area of over 54,000 square meters and a dock line 450 meters long.
Royal Caribbean is thus divesting its stake in Barcelona Port Investments, the major concessionaire of the Catalan port. Global Ports Holding is thereby increasing its dominant position in the port that received the most cruise passengers in the entire Mediterranean in 2022.
In addition to the Barcelona infrastructure, the concessionaire owns 100% of the cruise concession of the Port of Malaga, 40% of SATS-Creuers Cruise Services (Singapore) and 10% of Lisbon Cruise Terminal (Lisbon).
The company has already achieved its tourism recovery and in 2022 more than quadrupled its income, although the figure is still lower than that acquired in 2019, before the pandemic.
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