Marseille Port Sees 76% Drop in Passengers Amid North African Travel Restrictions

In 2029, the port of Marseille recorded a 76% drop in passengers, reports Econostrum. Connections with Algeria and Tunisia have declined, recording -89% and -55% respectively in the number of travelers. Passenger traffic to the Maghreb has dropped from 635,000 to 153,000, it is specified.

Nothing indicates that the prospects are good. While the gradual resumption of regular passenger ship rotations to Tunisia is effective, the Algerian borders remain closed until further notice due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Operated in early December 2020 at a rate of three stopovers per week, the Tangier-Marseille crossing was suspended from February 1 until further notice. A decision from the company "La Méridionale".

Despite these poor performances, the Grand Port Maritime de Marseille-Fos (GPMM) still plans to restructure the Corsica and Maghreb terminals at Cap Janet. This involves the creation of a new passenger terminal dedicated to ferries to and from the Maghreb. The investment cost is 55 million euros. Work began in September 2020. The infrastructure will be "fully operational by the end of 2022-beginning of 2023," says Hervé Martel, port director.