No ferries between Spain and Morocco will be allowed this summer

No Tarifa to Tangiers ferry this summer

No Tarifa to Tangiers ferry this summer Credit: Creative commons

MORE than three million Moroccans who would normally travel home by ferry from Spain will not be able to do so in 2021 as no ferries between Spain and Morocco will be allowed this summer.

This annual pilgrimage of Moroccan nationals who live or work in Spain, France, Italy and beyond sees Spanish roads in the month of July clogged with all manner of vehicles, loaded to the gunnels (and sometimes beyond) as they flock to different Spanish ports and then September when they return.

The most popular are Algeciras, Malaga and Tarifa as they account for the shortest crossing of the Straits of Gibraltar but there are also ferries running from Motril and Costa Blanca.

Last year, Operación Paso del Estrecho (OPE) didn’t take place because of the pandemic and lockdown but this year with the relaxation of restrictions it was certainly expected until on Sunday June 6, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry announced that although ferries could run from France and Italy, they would not be welcomed from Spain.

This news will not only add a great deal of cost if those living in Spain have to travel to France or even Italy to get on board and it also adds to the growing tension between Spain and Morocco.

According to Reuters, the Spanish Minister of Finance María Jesús Montero commented on the fact that no ferries between Spain and Morocco will be allowed this summer on June 8 as she understood that the decision was made for health reasons saying “We are living a situation very similar to last year’s, with even a higher incidence, and we all agree the more convenient was to suspend the ‘Straits crossing’ operation.”

This suggests that the decision was made jointly but the relationship between the two countries has suffered recently with financial pressure being put on Ceuta and Melilla, removal of Moroccan customs officers and most recently Spanish medical aid for the leader of the Polisario Front which demands independence for Western Sahara.

One thing is for sure, workers at all of the affected Spanish ports as well the ferry companies (of which there are an estimated 3,000) and their employers will be seriously hit by the financial loss.

Written by

John Smith

Married to Ophelia in Gibraltar in 1978, John has spent much of his life travelling on security print and minting business and visited every continent except Antarctica. Having retired several years ago, the couple moved to their house in Estepona and John became a regular news writer for the EWN Media Group taking particular interest in Finance, Gibraltar and Costa del Sol Social Scene. Currently he is acting as Editorial Consultant for the paper helping to shape its future development. Share your story with us by emailing newsdesk@euroweeklynews.com, by calling +34 951 38 61 61 or by messaging our Facebook page www.facebook.com/EuroWeeklyNews

Comments


    • Brian Stuy

      14 November 2021 • 16:47

      Is there any prospect that this situation will change in 2022? We are planning a trip to Morocco and would love to take the ferry form Spain in May.

      • John Smith

        14 November 2021 • 17:51

        There is no news at this stage. Many believe that the decision was political due to Moroccan concerns about Ceuta and Melilla as ferries were allowed from France and Italy. Only time will tell.

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