Spain Boosts Port Security by 21% for Annual Moroccan Migrant Operation

The security system planned by Spain for this year’s Operation Marhaba will consist of 19,441 agents, including 14,073 Civil Guard agents and 4,520 National Police agents, plus 648 local police agents stationed at the ports and borders of Valencia, Alicante, Almería, Málaga, Motril (Granada), Algeciras and Tarifa (Cádiz), Ceuta and Melilla, and those in municipalities with embarkation ports, reports Andalucia Información.

The Spanish-Moroccan Joint Commission has held several meetings to prepare this operation which starts tomorrow, Thursday, June 15. Last year, 2,912,283 passengers and 695,487 vehicles participated in the Transit Operation which allows Moroccans in Europe to return to Morocco for their summer holidays. The security system put in place aims to guarantee the fluidity of the transit of Moroccans, assured the Directorate General for Civil Protection and Emergencies of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, coordinator of the operation.

According to the fleet plan, 36 ships from seven shipping companies will participate in Operation Marhaba 2023. A massive influx of vehicles and passengers is expected, both in the first phase (June 15 - August 15), especially on June 24, 25, 26 and 27, the eve of Eid al-Adha in Morocco, and in the second phase (July 15 - September 15), namely on August 29, 30, 31 and September 1. Special measures, such as the interchangeability of tickets, are planned for these days of intense traffic to facilitate the boarding of passengers.

The Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) has set up two rest areas and seven information points. The arrival times and pace of vehicles in the ports can be consulted by travelers on the 2,428 display panels installed. The plan has also provided for a health and social assistance system that offers travelers administrative support in their language.