Spain is watching with a hint of concern as Morocco rises in the port sector. Tanger Med, a true maritime giant, is becoming a formidable competitor for Spanish ports, especially in the container transport sector.
It is the public body Puertos del Estado, responsible for managing Spanish ports, that has sounded the alarm. Its president, Álvaro Rodríguez Dapena, did not mince his words during a recent visit to Melilla: Moroccan ports, with Tanger Med at the forefront, have become « very powerful rivals. » The figures speak for themselves: Tanger Med currently handles nearly nine million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) per year, literally crushing the port of Algeciras, the leader in Spain, which, along with Valencia, barely reaches five million.
In the face of this increased competition, Rodríguez Dapena highlights the strengths of each country. Morocco, with Tanger Med, benefits from a « competitive advantage in terms of price, » thus attracting a growing number of shipowners. Spain, relying on its European Union membership, focuses on the quality of its services to stand out.
Source: Bladi
