Spanish Ports Set for $500 Million Boost as Morocco Travel Resumes

The Marhaba Operation, a major migratory flow from Europe to Morocco via Spain, will provide a breath of fresh air to the Spanish ports that have remained without welcoming a single passenger since the maritime borders with Morocco were closed two years ago for health reasons.

This operation, which allows Moroccans in Europe to travel to the kingdom during the summer holidays, has been authorized this year, after the meeting of Pedro Sanchez with King Mohammed VI in Rabat, during which the two leaders agreed on the immediate and gradual resumption of maritime traffic. On Tuesday, the first ferries left Algeciras for Tangier, and passengers with vehicles will also be able to embark for Morocco as of next Monday.

To read: Algeciras and Tarifa Ports Prepare for Resumed Morocco-Europe Transit Operation

The Marhaba Operation generally takes place between June 15 and September 15. In 2019, around 3,340,045 people participated in this operation, of which 71.5% transited through the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa. "The ports of Algeciras and Tarifa have stopped managing the passage of 10 million passengers and 2 million vehicles, with losses of around 40 million euros since 2020," notes the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA).

The shipping companies (Balearia, Trasmediterránea, InterShipping, Africa Morocco Link or FRS) have been the most affected by this suspension of the Transit Operation over two consecutive years, which has benefited the port of Sète in France and Genoa in Italy. According to FRS, its losses are estimated at 500 million euros for the two years. For this resumption, the companies are offering tickets starting at 36 euros for the Algeciras-Tangier line.