Anyone who knows the port of Los Cristianos immediately understands why this issue is so sensitive on Tenerife. The port is not located in a remote industrial zone, but right in the middle of a tourist coastal town, surrounded by hotels, apartments, beaches, shops and restaurants. At the same time, however, it is one of the most important links between Tenerife and the so-called “green islands”: La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. It is precisely this combination — a busy passenger port in a densely built-up resort town — that explains why there are plans to tackle the port of Los Cristianos.
Improvement, not expansion
According to the Spanish Ministry of Transport, the current focus is mainly on a reform of the port of Los Cristianos: a new passenger terminal, additional parking space and an underground access route to the port area. Work is also being carried out to reinforce the existing breakwater. The aim is to reduce the current traffic and port problems, not necessarily to immediately expand the port on a large scale.
The reason lies in the figures. Los Cristianos is currently the practical gateway for many travellers between Tenerife and La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. The port authority reported, for example, that during the Easter rush, tens of thousands of passengers and thousands of vehicles travelled through Los Cristianos in just a few days. For the return journey from La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro, a total of around 27,000 passengers and 7,000 vehicles were expected to travel towards Los Cristianos.
Granadilla is not being forgotten
Senator Fabián Chinea of the Agrupación Socialista Gomera described Los Cristianos as a strategic piece of infrastructure without an immediate full-scale replacement for the connection with the three western islands. He called on the Spanish government to speed up the planned improvements.
But why not simply move everything to Granadilla? There is indeed an explanation for this, but it is a nuanced one. Granadilla is not a forgotten port. On the contrary: the port is being developed further. At the end of 2025, the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife approved steps towards the completion of the Muelle de Ribera in Granadilla, a project worth almost 40 million euros. The official explanation is that Granadilla is strategic for major projects, high-value traffic and the economic diversification of Tenerife.
Less suitable from an economic point of view
Granadilla therefore mainly has a different role: industrial, logistical and economic. This is also clear from recent operations involving large wind-turbine components. The port was used for the reception, storage and transhipment of large components, including 90-metre blades and other heavy parts destined for further shipping.
Granadilla has indeed been discussed as a possible way to relieve pressure on Los Cristianos. The Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos previously examined four alternatives for the connection between Tenerife and the western islands: Santa Cruz, Granadilla, improvement of Los Cristianos and Fonsalía. According to the college, Santa Cruz and Granadilla were considered less suitable mainly for economic and operational reasons, because longer distances mean longer sailing times and higher costs.
Granadilla is not a replacement for Los Cristianos
At the local level, there is also support for at least removing freight traffic from Los Cristianos. The mayor of Arona and residents’ platforms are not calling for more port activity in Los Cristianos, but rather for reorganisation and reduction. In that context, Granadilla and Santa Cruz are mentioned as ports where certain freight operations could take place. The port authority also stated that a new freight route between La Palma and Santa Cruz could help relieve Los Cristianos.
The essence is therefore this: Los Cristianos is being addressed because passenger flows and existing ferry connections are currently concentrated there. Granadilla is also being developed, but mainly as an industrial and logistics port. Based on the available facts, it would not be correct to say that Granadilla is being ignored. What is true, however, is that Granadilla is not currently being treated as a simple one-for-one replacement for the passenger function of Los Cristianos.
Photo: AI ChatGPT
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