A crisis 5,000 kilometers away could make Tangier and Nador the Mediterranean’s big winners
The Bab el-Mandeb crisis is redirecting some of the world’s maritime trade toward the Strait of Gibraltar. With Tanger Med and the upcoming opening of Nador West Med, Morocco lies directly on the route taken by ships now sailing around Africa.
Attacks and tensions around Bab el-Mandeb, a strategic passage between the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, have prompted major shipping companies to sail around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. Ships then reach Europe through the Strait of Gibraltar, boosting ports in the western Mediterranean, explains La Vanguardia.
On Bladi.net : Tanger Med, Spain’s Obsession
Spain is benefiting from this shift with Algeciras, Valencia and Barcelona. But the Spanish daily sees Morocco gaining the most ground. Tanger Med lies directly on the new route and handled more than 11 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) in 2025, overtaking the Port of Los Angeles in particular in the ranking cited.
The detour is considerable. The journey between the Far East and Gibraltar now takes nearly 40 days via the Cape of Good Hope, compared with around 20 days via the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The latter had already lost about half its traffic in 2024 after the first ships were diverted.
Tanger Med to soon be joined by Nador
The arrival of Nador West Med changes the scale of the competition. The new port complex is due to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2026. With Tanger Med in the west and Nador West Med in the east, Morocco would have the largest port complex in the Mediterranean, according to specialists cited by the Spanish newspaper.
Tanger Med already benefits from modern terminals, competitive costs and its location outside the European Union. European ports face the requirements of the ETS system, which obliges shipping companies to buy allowances corresponding to part of their ships’ emissions. This difference strengthens Moroccan ports against their European competitors.
In 2025, despite some ships returning to the Red Sea, activity at Tanger Med continued to grow by around 8.4%. With more than 11 million TEU, the Moroccan port now handles more containers than Valencia and Algeciras combined.
Nador West Med will add a second entry point on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast. The complex is also set to host energy, industrial and logistics activities intended to attract companies to the area around the port.
On Bladi.net : Nador West Med to open in late 2026, but its motorway to Guercif will not be completed until 2029
The first phase of Nador West Med provides for an annual capacity of 3.5 million TEU and 800 hectares set aside for industrial activities. These plots could later expand to 5,000 hectares, more than the industrial zones developed around Tanger Med.
