Almería Port Traffic Plummets 97% as Morocco Halts Annual Expatriate Return

7 August 2021 – byPrince@Bladi · 1 min read

Passenger traffic at the port of Almería fell by 97% between July 2019 and July 2020 due to Morocco’s cancellation of the Marhaba Operation for these two consecutive years. As of the end of July 2021, it stood at 36.5%.

In total, 6,549 travelers (5,075 passengers and 1,471 truck drivers) transited through the port of Almería in July 2020, according to sources from the port authority. These are mainly passengers who connected the ports of Melilla and Nador via ferries.

This traffic fell by 97% compared to the same period in 2019, the last year that saw the organization of the Marhaba Operation. In 2020 and 2021, this operation did not take place due to the closure of borders for health reasons. Morocco only authorized ferries from the ports of Sète in France and Genoa in Italy for the two consecutive years, effectively excluding the ports of Spain.

Regarding Melilla, passenger and freight traffic has resumed this year with Almería. On the other hand, only freight traffic is allowed on the route connecting Almería to the port of Nador, especially since the Moroccan borders are still closed.

Regarding vehicle traffic, 1,261 vehicles embarked and disembarked in July 2021, an increase of 31% compared to the same period in 2020 and a drop of 97.2% compared to 2019 when more than 45,000 transited through the port of Almería.

Category: Spain

Keywords:

Spain Almeria Port Operation Marhaba