[REVISION HISTORY]

Algeciras ferry traffic surge 2026

Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-05 07:55 UTC → 2026-08-18 08:59 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Mid‑July 2026 saw the Operación Paso del Estrecho (OPE) reach a record surge at the Port of Algeciras, handling almost 40,000 passengers and 10,000 vehicles in a 48‑hour period. Nearby Tarifa recorded 13,717 travellers and 2,590 cars, and the combined activity of Algeciras and Tarifa accounted for 473,470 passengers and 116,951 vehicles in the first month—about ~~73 %~~ 73% of Spain’s total OPE traffic. The Algeciras‑Tangier Med link carried the highest number of travellers. By the end of July, ferry services to Ceuta, Tangier Med and Tangier Ville were operating normally despite the migration crisis in Ceuta, with the Port Authority keeping reinforced deployments in place. Overall, OPE moved 1,168,480 travellers through Spanish ports, while vessel rotations, passenger numbers and vehicle counts showed slight year‑on‑year declines. The Interior Ministry projected a new record for the year. In early August, the operation continued to set historic peaks. Tarifa experienced severe vehicle queues spilling into its historic centre, threatening a protected cultural area. At the Port of Almería, OPE handled 253,423 passengers and 64,449 vehicles between 15 June and 3 August, a level comparable to the previous year with a marginal ~~0.1 %~~ 0.1% decline. The Nador route remained the main corridor, carrying over 212,000 passengers and 54,000 vehicles, followed by the Melilla line, with smaller services to Ghazaouet and Oran. OPE also delivered 473 medical and 802 social‑assistance cases, and officials forecast a ~~5 %~~ 5% annual growth in Tarifa’s share of the operation. By mid-August, Andalusian ports had managed over 2.16 million passengers between 15 June and 15 August, representing 96.9% of all travelers across participating Spanish ports. While this was a 2.7% decrease compared to 2025, Algeciras remained the primary hub, recording 903,658 passengers and 251,473 vehicles during the departure phase.

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