The Nautical Bus redesigns mobility at the Port of Barcelona

The new Nautical Bus service between the Drassanes and Llevant wharves was unveiled today and marks a significant step forward by the Port of Barcelona in port-city integration while reconfiguring the internal mobility in the Port Vell. The opening ceremony was attended by Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni, Port of Barcelona president Lluís Salvadó, Alsa CEO Francisco Iglesias and Port Vell manager David Pino. 

The Nautical Bus service will be provided by two catamarans, Ecocat Two and Ecocat Three, operated by mobility company Alsa. Both are zero-emissions vessels, since they are 100% electric and run on solar energy and electrical connection. Renewable energy (solar panels) are expected to generate 40% of the catamarans' consumption. 

The Nautical Bus service will be operational from 4 July for at least 12 hours a day, with departures every 15 to 30 minutes, and the trip will last 10 minutes. A single ticket will cost €1.90, with the possibility to buy a return ticket, 10 trip tickets, for 2 and 30 days, and discounts for children, young people and seniors. 

Ecocat Two is 11.90 metres long and can hold 56 passengers; and Ecocat Three is 14.70 metres long with capacity for 84 passengers. The first vessel is equipped with two 20 kW engines and the second with two 50 kW engines. Both models, designed by Naval Architecture Marine Engineering and built by the Cantabrian shipyard Metaltec Naval, have a cruising speed of 5 knots and an autonomy of 8 hours uninterrupted service. 

Cutting emissions 

The use of zero-emission vessels will save 180 tonnes of CO2 a year and provides a fast and attractive alternative to land transport, which will contribute to relieving traffic congestion along Passeig de Colom and Passeig de Joan de Borbó. 

Port of Barcelona president Lluís Salvadó underlined “that the launch of the Nautical Bus is an important step towards achieving the goals we have set for ourselves in the Old Port Strategic Plan (2025-2030): it reinforces internal mobility and the port's integration with the city, bringing the new spaces created in the North entrance mouth and Sant Sebastià beach closer to Barcelona residents and visitors; and it does so with a new means of transport that is 100% sustainable, with zero-emission vessels, allowing us to progress towards decarbonising port activity.” 

Salvadó recalled that “the Port Vell receives over 25 million visitors annually and 3,400 people go to work every day just in the North Entrance mouth area, which hosts companies such as Marina Barcelona'92, the W hotel, Desigual, the Norrsken foundation and Marina Vela, inter alia. Therefore this new means of transport will respond to the mobility needs of citizens and tourists, and will foster growth of cultural, sports and recreational activities related to the sea.” 

Alsa CEO Francisco Iglesias pointed out that “the start of the Nautical Bus operations at the Port of Barcelona is a great satisfaction for Alsa, since this project brings together three lines and links up strategies in which the company is working intensively: sustainability, with a 100% zero emissions service, which also helps reduce congestion; multimodality, in this case operating a maritime transport service and, finally, tourist mobility, in which we want to continue growing with new projects.” 

The Nautical Bus has a stop at the Drassanes wharf and another at the Levant wharf, where the new passenger terminal is located, which occupies the old sheds, that have recently been refurbished. This passenger terminal will be equipped with a catering service.