The Balearic Islands' ports registered a sharp drop in cruise passenger numbers during the first two months of 2026. According to data published this Tuesday by State Ports, a total of 36,300 cruise passengers arrived in the archipelago between January and February, 54.9% fewer than in the same period last year. In February alone, the Balearic ports received 16,208 cruise passengers, representing a 44% decrease compared to February 2025. Overall, passenger traffic also declined. Between January and February, 462,936 travelers passed through the islands' ports, 11.1% fewer than in the same period last year. Regarding freight transport, the Balearic Islands' ports of general interest handled 2.2 million tons in the first two months of the year, a 9.7% decrease compared to the same period in 2015.

The Platform Against Megacruise Ships has described the latest agreement signed between the Balearic Islands Government, the Palma City Council, and the large cruise lines as "a worthless piece of paper and a complete farce." According to the organization, the pact represents no real change from the previous one and confirms that "in Palma, the general interest doesn't govern; the large cruise lines do."

The Balearic Government and Palma City Council have reached a strategic agreement with the main cruise lines operating in Palma, whereby the maximum daily average of cruise passengers will be reduced from 8,500 to 7,500. This reduction, formalized through a new memorandum of understanding, will only affect the peak season months, from June to September, in 2027, 2028, and 2029. The agreement was signed this Friday morning by the President of the Balearic Government, Marga Prohens, the Mayor of Palma, and representatives from the cruise lines. The new agreement maintains the one signed by the government of Francina Armengol in 2022, which set a maximum of three cruise ships in the port of Palma, one of which may have a capacity exceeding 5,000 passengers.

More than 40 entities, including associations and companies such as the Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises of Mallorca (PIMEM) and the Association of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (Pimeco), presented a manifesto on Tuesday in Cort for the continuity and stability of the cruise tourism in Mallorca. They also ask that the Government be a "proactive ally", contrary to the view they have of the Palma City Council.

Designing the new port of Palma will cost €2.1 million. This is the starting price for the tender launched by the Balearic Islands Port Authority (APB) to contract the technical assistance that will draft the Master Plan and the urban development proposal for the transformation of the commercial docks and the eastern waterfront of the Port of Palma. The tender is now open, and teams of architects and engineers have until February to submit proposals based on the APB's guidelines, which are included in the various published tender documents. This is a long-awaited project, debated for years in institutional, economic, and public spheres, and it must address some of the main challenges facing the port in the 21st century, following exponential growth in ships, cargo, and, most recently, passengers. The renovation stems from the political and institutional consensus reached by the APB Board of Directors on October 30, 2024, after clashes between representatives of the different administrations. The original 2020 reorganization plan generated controversy among shipping companies and repair firms, who felt that the proposal did not adequately address the port's operational and industrial needs. Furthermore, left-wing parties criticized the plan, warning of a model geared towards leisure and the commercialization of the city's waterfront. Faced with this rejection, the APB board initiated a broader debate process that culminated in the 2024 agreement.

The Balearic Islands' ports welcomed over 2.4 million cruise passengers between January and October, a 6.7% increase compared to the same period last year. A total of 737 ships arrived during these months, 45 more than the previous year (+6.5%). It's worth noting that this increase occurred despite current regulations limiting cruise ship arrivals to Palma to 3 ships and a total of 8,000 passengers per day. Regarding regular ferry services and cruises, according to data published by State Ports, total traffic in the Islands reached 9.18 million passengers, comprising over 6.7 million regular ferry passengers (-2.7%) and the aforementioned cruise passengers. This overall figure is 0.3% lower than that recorded in 2014. In October, the total number of passengers reached 884,553. Of these, 547,650 traveled on scheduled passenger services and 336,903 on cruise ships. Meanwhile, 112 cruise ships called at the Balearic Islands in October, representing a 3.7% year-on-year increase.

1,779,692 cruise ship passengers passed through the ports of the Balearic Islands between January and August of this year, a figure that represents a 5.5% increase compared to 2024, according to data from Puertos del Estado released this Tuesday by the EFE news agency. In August alone, 96 cruise ships passed through the islands with 366,000 passengers, 7.2% less than last year. However, in the first two quarters of the year, the number of calls at the ports of the Balearic Islands increased by 8.5% compared to 2024. Passengers on regular maritime transport services totaled 5,331,294 between January and August, 2.4% less than a year ago. In August, the ports of the islands registered 1,268,359 passengers.

The Port of Palma doubled this Saturday the cruise passenger limit established in the agreement, which limits the number of cruise ships that can arrive at the port of Palma on the same day to three, and the total number of passengers to 8,000. However, Palma currently accommodates four vessels docked, with a combined capacity of over 14,000 passengers.