Spanish ecological group ‘Verdemar’ has been less welcoming towards the ship, with Spanish daily Europa Sur claiming that the group has warned Spanish authorities that the dredging works to accommodate the flotel has massively increased the daily output of ‘hazardous waste’ from Gibraltar.

A spokesperson for the group told the paper that up to 45 trucks of hazardous waste has been crossing through the frontier every day, heading for the landfill in Huelva.