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Date Published: 14/05/2024

Cartagena announces tax cuts and bonuses to attract more cruise ships in 2025

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More than 250,000 cruise ship passengers are already expected to arrive in Cartagena this year

Cartagena announces tax cuts and bonuses to attract more cruise ships in 2025

The port of Cartagena is embracing a promising future with a newly announced series of tax reductions and bonuses aimed at enhancing competitiveness and attracting more cruise liners to the Mar Menor and the Region of Murcia.

The Board of Directors of the Port Authority recently approved a collection of measures intended to strengthen the port's appeal, boost new business and stimulate employment opportunities in the area.

Key aspects of the strategy include reducing the port's corrective coefficient for fees by 1%, resulting in lower overall tariffs for all ships and boats that dock there. Additionally, bonuses of up to 40% will be granted for diverse types of strategic traffic, including tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and energy sectors. Specific categories eligible for these benefits include:

Tourism: Cruise lines operating during low season or returning to the port for repeated stays can access a 40% discount.
Agriculture: Container transfers, roll-on/roll-off cargo, grain and fertiliser transportation qualify for a 40% rebate.
Manufacturing: Frozen fish processing industries can obtain a 40% price deduction.
Construction: Clinker materials receive a 40% discount.
Energy: Small-scale liquefied natural gas operations can claim a 40% refund.

Additional sectors such as livestock, wine production, biomass conversion, bulk commodities and specialised vessels will similarly benefit from reduced fees of 20% to 40%. Overall, the initiative anticipates generating approximately 700,000 euros for the Port Authority of Cartagena.

Moreover, the added revenue generated from enhanced commercial activities and employment opportunities is predicted to surpass the investment costs significantly.

Mayor of Cartagena, Noelia Arroyo, pointed out that the rate reduction will mean that the city becomes “increasingly attractive and competitive”, allowing the area to maintain its prominent position among Spanish ports.

In addition, the measure applicable to cruise ships “has a positive impact on our great tourism objective, which is to break seasonality.”

For the time being, the port of Cartagena expects to welcome around 150 ships totalling more than 210,000 cruise liner passengers this year. Of the total number of stops, 17 are new and there are also 2 new shipping companies that have chosen the city for their stops.

In other news: Brittany Ferries announces whale-watching cruises between Ireland and Spain

Image: Freepik

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