The Platform Against Megacruises has called for greater transparency and citizen participation in the renewal of the Balearic Government's agreement with cruise operators regarding limits to cruise ships in Palma.
They demand that there should be no more than one large cruise ship per day and no more than 4,000 passengers; the current agreement is for three ships and 8,000 passengers. A particular focus of the platform is on pollution. According to data from a network of sensors deployed by the platform itself, emissions are four times the maximum recommended by the World Health Organization.
At a press conference on Thursday, Jaume Garau of the Palma XXI association, said: "One cruise ship per day should be the maximum allowed until further studies are available. It's a public health issue that the government should study, but isn't." He added that the data have been given to the directorates for health and the natural environment but that there haven't been any responses.
The agreement reached in 2021 expires at the end of 2026; it will be reviewed this year because of operators' scheduling. Garau insisted that the decision-making process must be transparent and take into account the views of civil society. Margalida Ramis of the environmentalists GOB observed that the 2021 agreement "excluded citizens". She argued that the ports authority in Palma should focus on the transport of goods and residents' travel rather than on tourism.
They stated that 546 cruise ships are forecast to arrive in Palma this year. Since January there have been 158, which projects an increase of around ten per cent. The cruise industry has said the arrivals will be around 500 and point out that a total of 1.8 million cruise passengers in 2024 represented a 1.5% decrease compared with 2023.
The platform maintained that it has the support of some of the trade sector, which has traditionally always been in favour of cruise ships. "We spoke with many businesses, and they have told us they agree with us in that the supposed wealth that cruises bring isn't that great."