Rabat – Travelers are taking to social media to voice their anger at Moroccan shipping company InterShipping.
A number of passengers allege that the sale of boat tickets has been “dysfunctional.” Some attendees claim that they never received their tickets despite making bank withdrawals.
Many disappointed and angry travellers expressed their outrage on social media, complaining that the “the site is constantly down, travellers were charged for their tickets without receiving booking confirmation or a refund, and the company refuses to answer our questions or deal with our concerns.”
The unsatisfied customers stormed InterShipping’s social network pages, leaving comments demanding a refund of their tickets, complaining about the company’s site and its lack of responsiveness.
Some travelers also had their tickets cancelled without any prior notice.
A traveler has not yet received her ticket despite booking in May.
The company’s website has been “under maintenance” for months now, and there has been no response to calls.
Since the royal initiative of King Mohammed VI urging companies to facilitate MREs return, ticket sales were at a record high for both air and sea travel.
InterShipping was among the four companies chosen by the Moroccan government to supervise the maritime transit process for Moroccans traveling from Europe, via the “Sete-Tangiers” route.
Several MREs intending to travel with the company through this initial voyage were reportedly “stuck” in French port Sete for days, with no information about what was delaying their departure.
Some families traveled to the port, only to realize that their departures had been delayed, or cancelled with no information available from the company.
Morocco World News contacted InterShipping’s Moroccan and Spanish offices, as well as their customer service, but received no answer.
The company announced on Friday, July 9 that their website will be under maintenance until July 12. Adding that trips from Sete on July 10, 13, 15, and 17 are fully booked.
“Due to the very high demand on this service, ticket sales are temporarily suspended to adjust capacity. We thank you for your patience.”
This Saturday, July 10, Midi Libre reported that the first passengers heading for Morocco were able to board the Victoria I, one of the two ferries chartered by Intershipping.
Intershipping, which has been operating on the Strait crossing since 2012, has long been considered an exemplar in the highly competitive field of maritime transport.
After numerous bankruptcies in the maritime sector, Intershipping remained the only Moroccan company to ensure the crossing of the Strait, until the launch of AML last year. Today, the company is frequently caught up in scandal.
Trouble surrounding the company’s finances first surfaced in October 2020, when the Commercial Court of Tangier ordered a precautionary seizure of InterShipping ships in favor of the Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes.
The seizure was a result of a debt of almost MAD 3 billion ($250 Million), owed in taxes to the state. This seizure was carried out on the vessels Detroit Jet, Boraq, and Med Star, which were docked at the ports of Tangier City and Tangier-Med.
For more than three months, the Commercial Court of Tangier has repeatedly seized Intershipping’s vessels for the benefit of several plaintiffs: including suppliers, port authorities, staff dismissed by the company, and now the State.
The seizures paralyzed Intershipping’s fleet, which had partially ceased activity and became accustomed to announcing sporadic departures for months leading up to this summer.
Intershipping’s troubles however are not exclusive to tax evasion. Many seizures were also ordered by Moroccan courts to settle wrongful dismissal claims made by former members of personnel.
The dire financial state of Intershipping now extends to its commercial component. As the company struggles to stay afloat, this recent scandal will only hinder its process and make regaining its once-coveted status in the sector much more challenging.
