Morocco-Spain Maritime Borders May Reopen as Companies Prepare for Summer Travel Season

The warming of relations between Morocco and Spain are giving hope for the reopening of Moroccan maritime borders with Ceuta and Melilla, and the launch of the Marhaba Operation dedicated to MREs. These issues will also be on the agenda of discussions between the head of Spanish diplomacy José Manuel Albares, who will make a working visit to Rabat on April 1, and his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita. Pending an official decision, maritime companies are in full preparation. "Some have even started to insert announcement pages and update their websites," reports l’Économiste. They say they are all ready to ensure smooth transit between the two shores.

As for the Marhaba operation, one of the largest transit operations in the world with nearly 2 million passengers to be transported in three months and peaks of 35,000 travelers/day, the preparations take time. High-level coordination meetings are held several months in advance with a well-defined fleet plan and a whole reception system along the Spanish motorways and Moroccan ports, before its launch in June. The success of this operation - if it were to be effective this year - will depend on the anti-covid device and health protection measures. "The implementation of too rigid measures would not help to streamline transit, whether on arrival or departure from Morocco," warn port operators.