The legacy of the America’s Cup

The Louis Vuitton 37th America’s Cup leaves the city a legacy that will definitively foster the potential of the Barcelona and Catalan shoreline.

Barcelona Nautical Capital Foundation (FBCN in Catalan), formed by all the public administrations (the City Council, the Catalan Government, the Spanish Government and Barcelona Provincial Council), as well as the Port of Barcelona, the Chamber of Commerce, Barcelona Tourism and Barcelona Global, is the body coordinating legacy projects in various fields, including sport, education, science, sustainability, technology, marine culture and the blue economy, which are being accelerated thanks to the event.

With projects like the decarbonisation of recreational boats, which aims to position Catalonia as a European leader in electrifying vessels, and the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference, marking a crucial moment for celebrating successes and establishing shared priorities for the future of oceanic sustainability, the Foundation aims to make Barcelona and Catalonia global leaders in the nautical sector.

Unlike other editions of the America's Cup, Barcelona's plans do not include the construction of new infrastructures, but rather the modernisation and transformation of existing ones, a city model that leads to a sustainable impact on the host city's economic and urban development sectors.

Port Olímpic

The Port Olímpic is being reborn as a new city venue, a place that has been totally renovated to become accessible, sustainable and committed to the creation of economic activities linked to the sea. A new centre for doing nautical sports and enjoying the best food in the city.

It will be Barcelona's first hub for blue economy businesses, able to attract companies that specialise in nautical services, innovation, research, technology and the circular economy.

Port of Barcelona

The most significant change is taking place in the city's old port, Port Vell, which is already the headquarters of the six teams competing in the America's Cup.

Port Vell is undergoing an unprecedented economic, environmental and social transformation. This includes the modernisation of the Moll de Pescadors quay, transferring cruise-ship and ferry operations (taking this activity away from the city centre), redevelopment of the Moll Oriental quay's storage facilities, or Tinglados, and the final stage of opening the Nova Bocana to the public, with the new Rambla del Trencaones and the Mirador building.

The Port of Barcelona is also a leader in decarbonisation, in order to progress towards the goals set out by the United Nations, with a clear commitment to the electrification of quays and the self-production of renewable energies, with a view to the fuels used by vessels in the future. The aim is to become a centre for producing, distributing and consuming 100% green energy.

Technology, science and education

Another legacy the America's Cup will leave behind is the roll-out of an optic-fibre network from Plaça del Mar in Barceloneta to Port Olímpic, along with the development of a pioneering, state-of-the-art 5G network for the city's shoreline, as well as accelerating the roadworks transforming La Rambla and Via Laietana.

With regard to culture and science, the Blue Pavilion project, the reinforcement of the “Experiencing Sailing” ("Viu la vela") programme to foster sailing and nautical sports, and the future Barcelona Maritime Technology Park are major legacy projects that are here to stay, consolidating Barcelona as a great nautical capital.