State Ports and ports of general interest will participate on September 16 and 17 in Seatrade Cruise Med, which is celebrating its 30th edition in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. During these two days, Spanish ports will present their infrastructure and services for cruise tourism, with a firm commitment to the sustainable future of the sector.
Under the slogan “Make your landing unforgettable”, 26 Port Authorities will participate at the Ports of Spain stand, showcasing the advantages of choosing Spanish ports as a base and stopover on cruise routes.
In addition to meetings and working sessions, the event agenda includes various presentations. The official opening of the fair will take place on the 16th, with a speech by the president of Puertos del Estado (State Ports Authority), Gustavo Santana, and the official welcome ceremony at the Ports of Spain stand at 1:00 p.m.
At 11:15 a.m. the stand will host the presentation by the Port Authority of Ferrol of the Ferrol Cruise Port cruise terminal, whose project foresees the construction of a terminal that allows the docking of large ships, as well as a second mobile installation that allows several simultaneous stops to be attended.
Next, at 11:45 a.m., the Port of Almería will announce the new services for cruise passengers and projects that are transforming the port for its opening to the city.
Finally, at 12:15 pm, the Port Authority of A Coruña will present the Mega project (Estrella Galicia World), a museum dedicated to the history of the company and the beer brewing process.
On Thursday the 17th, Puertos del Estado organized an exclusive working breakfast for the ports with the main shipping companies.
At 10:15 a.m., the Port of Cadiz's OPS (Onshore Power Supply) service will also be presented at the stand. This service, launched in partnership with Endesa in March of this year, is the first in Spain to offer electrical connection to docked cruise ships.
The Port Authority of Castellón, for its part, will promote its "The Five Senses" campaign, aimed at the boutique and luxury sector, at the Ports of Spain stand at 10:45 a.m.
At 3:00 p.m. in the MedCruise pavilion, Verónica Verdesoto, head of the Commercial Services and Bunkering Department of State Ports, will participate in the sixth meeting of the Working Group on Economic Impact Assessments, dedicated to the development of tools to analyze the long-term value creation and sustainability of cruise tourism, seeking to balance the benefits for the sector with the well-being of the communities.
Sustained growth
In 2025, cruise passenger traffic through ports of general interest exceeded 14 million movements, aboard 5,300 ships, consolidating Spain's position as a leading European destination. In the first seven months of this year, this figure reached 7.71 million, a 1.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
The cruise industry contributes directly, indirectly or through induced effects 6.4 billion euros to national production, around 3.2 billion euros to GDP and some 52,000 total jobs, according to the 'Study of the economic impact of ports of general interest on the Spanish economy as a whole', prepared by State Ports.
State Ports and the Spanish port system are working to ensure sustainable growth in cruise tourism, a strategic element for the Spanish economy.
The commitment to sustainability is reflected in concrete initiatives for the protection of the environment, territorial cohesion and a respectful integration of activity in port cities; such as the implementation of electrical supply at the docks, which allows cruise ships to connect to the electrical grid while docked, turn off their auxiliary engines and thus reduce polluting emissions and noise during their stay.
At the same time, other energy saving and polluting emissions minimization measures are underway, such as the optimization of digital operations, the use of low carbon emission fuels or the use of renewable energy sources in port ecosystems.
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