Spanish Weapons Ban Backfires: Algeciras Port Loses to Moroccan Rival as US Ships Flee

"No evidence has been provided to support these accusations, but the measure has immediately triggered an international backlash," say observers. For its part, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) of the United States, an independent body responsible for ensuring compliance with navigation and foreign trade standards, has opened an investigation whose conclusions are unequivocal: "ships flying the American flag or carrying goods destined for the United States can no longer operate in Algeciras."

Consequently, Maersk has decided to remove its call at Algeciras on its line connecting India and the Middle East to the East Coast of the United States, in favor of Tanger Med which, according to experts, "has competitive advantages over its European counterparts, notably lower regulatory and wage costs and increased regulatory flexibility." If other companies follow Maersk’s lead, the port of Algeciras "will be reduced to a marginal role, with heavy economic and social repercussions, whether in terms of job losses, investor disaffection or weakening of competitiveness," experts point out.

The FMC stated in a notice published in the Federal Register that it had been informed since November 19, 2024 that Spain was refusing access to ships, noting that "this practice is deemed to create unfavorable conditions for navigation in foreign trade" and that fines of up to $2.3 million per voyage could be imposed if the Spanish interference was confirmed.

In May, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs had refused to dock the Danish-flagged ship Marianne Danica on the grounds that it was transporting weapons to Israel. Minister José Manuel Albares stated on national television that "this was the first time a ship carrying weapons to Israel had been denied access to a Spanish port," adding that Spain would not "contribute to the arrival of new weapons in the Middle East, a region that needs peace. That is why this first refusal of authorization will pave the way for a systematic policy concerning any ship carrying weapons to Israel."

While the port of Algeciras is losing competitiveness, Tanger Med is strengthening its position in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean. "If the political decision is not revised, the deterioration of services will be inevitable, with fewer calls, reduced investment and, in the long run, massive job losses," warn industry professionals who denounce these "improvised and ideological choices."