Marhaba 2026 MRE traffic Motril port decline
Operation Marhaba 2026 confirms a sharp decline in crossings linking Motril to Moroccan ports. While certain routes to Tangier and Nador are holding steady or advancing, connections departing from the Andalusian port are recording spectacular drops since the start of summer.
Between June 15 and July 19, the Motril–Al Hoceima line transported only 2,400 passengers, a drop of 72.9% compared to 2025. Motril–Nador declined by 52.1%, with 2,584 travelers.
On Bladi.net : Moroccan Diaspora Travel to Spain Drops 23% as Port of Motril Sees Mixed Results
The Motril–Tangier Med connection recorded no sailings, whereas it had transported 2,445 passengers during the same period last year. According to the official report from Spain’s General Directorate of Civil Protection, total traffic at Motril port decreased by 29.8%.
Tarifa and Almería recover the traffic
Meanwhile, other routes to Morocco are advancing. Tarifa–Tangier City reaches 143,705 passengers, up 5.3%, while Almería–Nador advances by 1.7%, with 119,299 travelers.
Algeciras–Tangier Med remains by far the main connection, with 320,302 passengers, despite a decline of 3.8%. In total, direct crossings between Spanish and Moroccan ports transported 588,290 people, approximately 2.5% less than in 2025.
On Bladi.net : Marhaba Operation: Moroccan Exodus from Europe Slows as Key Ferry Route Sees 20% Drop
These figures account for all passengers of the Spanish operation, primarily used by MREs, and not exclusively Moroccans residing abroad.
