Las Palmas: Europe's Largest Cruise Terminal Opens

Von Jakez Bo from NANTES, FRANCE - CELEBRITY APEX, CC0, Link
The new cruise terminal in Las Palmas on Gran Canaria has officially started operations. With the inauguration on October 2, 2025, when Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Apex was the first ship to call, the island has significantly strengthened its position in the European cruise business. The global operator Global Ports Holding (GPH), which realized the facility in collaboration with the Port Authority of Las Palmas, received a 40-year concession for this. Such a long term is common in the industry and provides the company with the necessary security for its major investment.

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The new terminal is located at the Santa Catalina Pier and was specifically designed to handle both transit guests and passengers for homeporting operations. It is considered Europe's largest cruise terminal, as evidenced by its enormous capacity. Up to four ships can be handled simultaneously, and even the world's largest cruise ships can be accommodated here.

This capacity expansion is intended to increase the annual passenger volume to over 1.6 million. The terminal is designed to handle up to 10,000 passengers for embarkation and disembarkation, which is particularly important for homeporting operations. The passenger turnaround on the island brings significant benefits to the local economy. Guests often stay longer, book additional overnight stays, and spend more money.

The project is part of a larger investment by GPH in the Canary Islands, totaling 40 million euros. Of this, up to 32 million euros were invested solely in the construction of the new terminal in Las Palmas.

Despite the modern infrastructure and sustainable terminal construction, the project faces a major challenge: The connection to shore power, also known as Cold Ironing, is not currently possible at the Santa Catalina Pier. The island's power grid is simply not designed for the immense load required to shut down the ships' engines in port. This is in contrast to the European Union's sustainability goals and could limit the port's competitiveness in the future.

Nevertheless, the new cruise terminal is an important step for Las Palmas, solidifying its role as a central hub for cruises in the mid-Atlantic. It offers cruise lines such as Aida, TUI, Marella, and P&O the perfect base for their voyages.