The port of A Coruña is making history again in the cruise sector by having exceeded 400,000 cruise passengers this year, an unprecedented figure not only in this port, but throughout the Cantabrian-Atlantic coast, between Lisbon and French Brittany.
Pending the final figures for the year, with the two scheduled calls of the Bolette (December 16) and Iona (December 26), the port of A Coruña has already welcomed 400,605 cruise passengers since January 1, arriving on a total of 166 ships. This marks the third consecutive year that cruise passenger numbers have surpassed previous figures, following 222,723 passengers in 2022 and 323,991 in 2023.
The port has consolidated its leading position in its wider geographical area after achieving 650% growth in the last 15 years. Thus, in 2009, 53,574 passengers arrived in A Coruña; by 2014, the figure had risen to 129,587; and in 2024, the 400,000 mark has already been surpassed. The forecast for the coming years is to maintain and even increase these figures.
These results are the consequence of a strategy implemented by the Port Authority, in coordination with industry stakeholders and tourism-related institutions. In addition to the ongoing promotion of the destination at major international events, other key factors have been the improvement of port infrastructure dedicated to cruise ships, a sound pricing policy, and the pedestrianization of the Marina area, which allows passengers to easily walk to the city center.
In fact, over 80% of cruise passengers report that their experience in A Coruña has been satisfactory, exceeding their initial expectations regarding the port's facilities and the city's tourist attractions. Of all the passengers arriving at the port, 50% are British, 32% German, and 13% from the United States. More than 30 of the world's leading cruise lines operate in the port of A Coruña every year.
The president of the Port Authority, Martín Fernández Prado, expressed his satisfaction with these results, highlighting their impact on the economy of the city and the metropolitan area. In addition to the 400,000 passengers, approximately 170,000 crew members arrived, bringing the total to 570,000 people who came to A Coruña this year. The estimated impact exceeds 35 million euros, including direct spending by travelers and the repercussions for the entire tourism sector, port companies, transportation, security, supplies, and so on.
To support the industry in its commitment to environmental sustainability, the Port Authority has begun the first works to install electrical supply to cruise ships at the Transatlantic dock, which will allow them to turn off their auxiliary engines during their stop and avoid emissions into the atmosphere, placing the port of A Coruña as one of the first in Spain to offer this service.
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