Morocco’s Ports See Surge in Traffic as Red Sea Attacks Reroute Global Shipping

The security crisis in the Red Sea is inducing route changes. Many shipping companies are therefore turning to Mediterranean ports, including those of Casablanca and Tanger Med, which have become hubs, reports the newspaper Les Inspirations Éco citing the World Container Index (WCI) of Drewry. According to maritime transport professionals, this crisis is indeed benefiting Morocco. "Certainly, the risk of congestion at the port level is not ruled out, but for the moment, the Moroccan ports are managing the situation and managing the large flows of ships that are docking. Competitiveness and quality of performance remain an asset," confirms Aziz Mantrach, vice-president of ASMEX and president of the logistics commission of the association. Another situation: the soaring container price. "Today, prices are still showing a new increase. According to our information, the price of a 40-foot container would have reached $6,000 and that of a 20-foot container is $3,000," reports the World Container Index (WCI) of Drewry. For his part, the expert Najib Cherfaoui is convinced of Morocco’s ability to offer other equally attractive alternatives. He cites as an example the port of Dakhla, coveted by some major shipowners.

The increase in demand is behind the expected rise. But a shortage is affecting empty containers. "To alleviate this persistent crisis, shipping companies have recently deployed ships with greater capacity in order to be able to meet demand," the World Container Index (WCI) of Drewry further reports. Ultimately, the security crisis in the Red Sea has had a negative impact on the international maritime transport economy due to a surge in freight rates and maritime insurance costs, it is noted.