The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) has announced immediate action to prevent further overcrowding and traffic disruption at the es Botafoc taxi rank in Ibiza, after chaotic scenes were reported when three cruise ships coincided at the port earlier this week.
The decision comes after strong criticism from Ibiza taxi drivers, who warn that the lack of coordinated passenger management at the cruise terminal exit is creating unsafe conditions during peak arrivals.
Images shared by drivers and published in local media showed large crowds of cruise passengers spilling into traffic lanes, with some travellers carrying infants and stepping into roadways while attempting to find taxis.
Taxi Drivers Warn of Safety Risks at Ibiza Cruise Port
Mariano Torres, president of the Associació de Taxistes Autònoms de la Ciutat d’Eivissa, warned that the situation at es Botafoc cruise terminal has become increasingly dangerous when multiple cruise ships dock simultaneously.
He stressed that the arrival of a single ship is manageable, but multiple cruise ship arrivals at the same time create uncontrolled passenger flows, increasing the risk of accidents and congestion.
Taxi representatives also argue that, until last year, the taxi sector itself funded staff to organise queues at key transport points such as es Botafoc, Ibiza Airport, and Avenida de Santa Eulària, but this responsibility has now been withdrawn, with drivers calling for public authorities to take over.
APB Response: Staff Deployment and New Cruise Coordination Plan
In response, the APB confirmed a coordination meeting with cruise shipping agents to strengthen existing protocols for managing passenger disembarkation during peak congestion periods.
The authority also reaffirmed a previously agreed plan with the Consell de Ibiza and the Ibiza City Council, aimed at regulating cruise arrivals with at least 30-minute intervals between ship berthing times to avoid congestion at es Botafoc.
Under this framework, daily cruise capacity was intended not to exceed 9,000 passengers, although in 2025 peaks of up to 12,000 cruise visitors in 20 days were recorded.
On Tuesday, three cruise ships arrived within a short time window — the Silver Ray, Costa Smeralda, and Costa Pacífica — carrying a combined total of over 10,000 passengers, with approximately 7,000 disembarking in Ibiza, triggering the reported congestion.
New Safety Measures: Fencing, Staff and Improved Passenger Flow
Following the latest meeting, the APB confirmed that whenever more than two cruise ships coincide in Ibiza Port, additional staff will be deployed to assist with passenger disembarkation during peak hours, particularly between 12:00 and 13:30, when arrivals are most concentrated.
From Friday onwards, the authority will also install physical fencing at the es Botafoc taxi rank and improve signage to help organise queues and ensure a more structured passenger flow, with the aim of improving mobility management at Ibiza cruise terminal.
Political and Institutional Reactions to Ibiza Cruise Congestion
The Consell de Ibiza has requested explanations from the APB regarding the operational failures observed during Tuesday’s incident, although it noted that the situation appears to have been caused by exceptional circumstances rather than excessive cruise volume alone.
Meanwhile, the municipal group Vox in Ibiza City Council has called for urgent action, describing the situation as “incompatible with a first-class tourist destination” and criticising the lack of planning and inter-institutional coordination in managing cruise tourism flows.