Spain Seeks to Restore Maritime Links with Morocco After Two-Year Hiatus

"We have been suffering for two years from the unilateral decision of Morocco to cancel the Marhaba Operation and regular maritime links. We have lost ten million passengers, five each year, which affects the negative result of the Port Authority and the companies that provide services to passengers, as well as complementary services for shipping companies," lamented Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena in an interview with Europa Sur, reassuring that diplomacy is working to resume the links this year.

To read: Spain and Morocco Make Progress on Restoring Maritime Links, Officials Say

After two years of closure of the maritime borders by Morocco, the Spanish ports are at the end of their rope and the worst is to be feared if the situation remains the same this year. Morocco has kept its borders closed since March 2020 to limit the spread of Covid-19, which led to the cancellation in 2020 and 2021 of the Marhaba Operation which allows Moroccans residing in Europe to join their country via the Spanish ports to spend the summer holidays there.

The former member of the board of directors of the port of Algeciras also analyzed the port traffic in the strait with the strong growth of Tanger-Med in recent years. According to him, the traffic in the strait is very important and should double in seven years. Under these conditions, Tanger-Med and the two terminals of the port of Algeciras will continue to be busy.