Global Ports Expects Ferrol Cruise Terminal to Open in Spring 2027
GPH projects about twenty-three thousand cruise passengers at the Galician port in 2026, rising to around eighty thousand by 2034 under its management.
Global Ports Holding announced September 25 that it expects the new passenger terminal at Ferrol Cruise Port in Galicia, Spain, to open in spring 2027, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026. The operator holds a 30-year concession from the Ferrol-San Cibrao Port Authority to build and run the facility.
The first phase will provide a 480-square-metre terminal within a concession area covering 960 square metres on the Espigón Exterior outer quay. GPH has projected approximately 23,000 cruise passengers at Ferrol in 2026, rising to around 80,000 by 2034 under its management.
Jose Antonio Alvarez Vidal, president of the Ferrol-San Cibrao Port Authority, said Ferrol Cruise Port would “help boost passenger traffic, showcase our region's tourism appeal and strengthen the connection between the port and the city.” He also linked the development with the Abrir Ferrol al Mar project and efforts to make Ferrol's maritime and historic heritage more accessible to residents and visitors.
Construction timetable and passenger services
The port authority's board approved the concession in May 2026, and the grant appeared in Spain's official gazette in July under the name Global Ports Ferrol. Under the concession, the operator has three months from the grant to submit the first-phase construction project for technical review and six months to begin building work.
Planned terminal services include passenger guidance, baggage handling and gangway operations. The authority also envisages a mobile installation for passengers using ships berthed farther from the main building, providing additional support when cruise calls overlap.
Espigón Exterior offers 229 metres of quay with a published depth of 9 metres. Ferrol's other cruise berth, Fernández Ladreda, provides deeper water at 12.5 metres. The port's sheltered waters allow year-round cruise calls.
Passengers have access to shuttle buses, taxis and local bus services. The cruise port is also close enough to central Ferrol for many visitors to reach the city on foot.
Where Ferrol fits in GPH's plans
Francesc Grau, GPH's regional director for the West Med, said Ferrol would add to the company's West Mediterranean and Atlantic portfolio and extend its operations in Spain and the surrounding region. GPH reports a network of 35 cruise ports across 20 countries, serving more than 22 million passengers.
“Our aim is to support Ferrol's long-term growth as a cruise destination,” Grau said. He added that the port would benefit from the operating experience, standards and connections available through GPH's regional network.
A second development phase is planned once the outer quay is fully operational for larger cruise ships. When GPH first announced that it had won the concession through a competitive tender in November 2025, the company expected that phase to be completed in 2031.
