Although Cambrils did not have a port until 1933, its beaches have been used for anchoring since ancient times. For example, in the summer of 1228, King James I assembled his fleet on the beaches of Tarragona, Salou and Cambrils in readiness to conquer Majorca.

The first harbour infrastructures were created in the 17th century, when stakes were driven into the sand on the beach: ships were then able to tie themselves to the stakes and receive protection from pirates from the Port Tower. As a result, a seafaring community settled there and Cambrils started to engage in coastal trade. In the 17th and 19th centuries, Priorat wine was exported from Cambrils to places as far away as America.

In the 20th century, the construction of a harbor of refuge became essential to protect the neighborhood of La Platja and the fishermen's boats during storms.

At the beginning of the 20th century, it became necessary to build a port of refuge to protect the Beach neigh- bourhood and the fishermen’s boats from storms, such as the storm of 2 February 1911 which killed 15 local fi- shermen. The Town Council and the fishermen called for construction of a harbour and a first small wharf was built in 1927.

During the Second Republic, approval was obtained for the project submitted by the engineer Francisco García de Membrillera, and in 1933, the minister Marcel·lí Domingo, who had family connections in Cambrils, laid the first stone of what would become the new port. However, work stopped during the Civil War and the harbour was not completed until 1952.