Spanish Ports Prepare for Surge as Moroccan Diaspora Returns Home

Since the start of the Operation on June 15, more than 705,000 Moroccans living abroad (MRE) and 154,000 vehicles have already transited through the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa, respectively 16% and 29% more than in the same period of 2019, the APBA said in a note. The largest flow was recorded on Sunday, July 3, with the passage of 39,941 MRE and 9,345 vehicles from the two ports, the note added.

With this increase in flow noted in early July, the APBA fears a peak in the arrival of MRE at the end of the month and the beginning of August, coinciding with the start of the return phase of the Marhaba Operation. The Algeciras-Ceuta, Algeciras-Tanger Med and Tarifa-Tanger City maritime links absorb 74% of the flow of vehicles passing through the Spanish ports, the APBA specified, stressing that this year, MRE have been required to pay for their tickets before entering the ports for better planning of resources, infrastructure and facilities.

During this Operation, more than 7,000 pre-embarkation spaces, about thirty toilet blocks and 6,000 square meters of shade have been installed in the two ports. The Port Authority claims to have spent two million euros to prepare the Marhaba Operation 2022. Facilities have also been planned to accommodate the staff of Civil Protection, the Moroccan Consulate, the Mohammed V Foundation, the Red Cross and the Andalusian health service.