New Marseille-Tangier Med Ferry Route Launches, Boosting Mediterranean Trade

Two ships will allow the company to operate this link. These are the Girolata, with a capacity of 606 passengers and 230 passenger vehicles, and the Pélagos with 269 passengers and 75 vehicles. La Méridionale is a historic company that has gained its reputation by operating maritime links between Corsica and Marseille since 1937. Today, in response to the reduction of its scope in the Corsican market, the company is diversifying and developing its business by committing part of its fleet to Morocco.

Combining freight and passenger transport, this regular line is a novelty from Marseille for the French and Europeans, especially the Moroccans residing abroad (MREs). It is the ideal extension of the motorway axes of the Rhône valley and a wonderful alternative to hours of car journeys to reach the ports located to the east (Italy) and west (Spain, Sète) of the Phocaean city, the company specifies.

Nadira Birèche is the head of commercial animation. She emphasizes that all the conditions have been met to ensure that the journey on board the ships is a moment of discovery. "On board our ships, we do everything to make our customers feel already or still in Morocco. To this end, the information on board is communicated in darija and French, our catering is of Mediterranean and Moroccan inspiration and our ships have a place of worship set up on the advice of the cultural association of Muslims in Marseille."

She points out that the journey on board the company’s ships is carried out in compliance with preventive measures to fight against Covid-19. La Méridionale makes the preservation of the health of its customers and crew members an essential issue.