Marrakech – Morocco and Spain wrapped up preparations for Operation Marhaba 2026 during the 37th Joint Moroccan-Spanish Transit Commission held Wednesday in Tangier.
Known in Spain as the Operación Paso del Estrecho (OPE), the annual summer transit operation will run from June 15 to September 15 and is expected to manage the movement of more than 3.5 million people and 800,000 vehicles between Europe and North Africa.
Projections point to a 3% increase over last year’s figures in both passenger and vehicle traffic, which would push the operation to new historic highs. The operation, organized without interruption since 1986, remains the largest seasonal transit in Europe and one of the biggest in the world.
The Tangier meeting was co-chaired by Khalid Zerouali, Wali and Director of Migration and Border Surveillance, and Virginia Barcones Sanz, Spain’s Secretary General of Civil Protection and Emergencies.
The Spanish delegation included officials from the Directorate General of Traffic, the Directorate General of Coordination and Studies, and the ministries of Health, Transport and Sustainable Mobility, and Foreign Affairs.
Morocco’s side featured senior officials from the Royal Gendarmerie, the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, and several government ministries and directorates.
The commission’s discussions centered on the operational frameworks deployed by both countries to ensure smooth, secure, and fluid transit throughout the summer.
Morocco’s side of the operation is structured around the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, which plays a central role in coordinating services for the Moroccan diaspora. The Moroccan government has also committed an investment of several million dirhams to upgrade port and airport infrastructure ahead of the operation.
Moroccan consulates across Spain will maintain daily operations throughout the summer, including on weekends and public holidays, to assist travelers.
On the Spanish side, the state will deploy more than 31,500 professionals – a nearly 10% increase compared to last year. The workforce includes members of Spain’s security forces, health workers, social workers, translators, and volunteers. More than 20 agencies across the central government, autonomous communities, and local administrations will participate.
The operational structure revolves around a Fleet Plan that defines the number of vessels, maritime routes, and rotations needed to maintain steady transit across the Strait of Gibraltar. It also incorporates provincial coordination plans for nine participating Spanish ports, a national traffic and road safety plan, and a Spanish Red Cross action plan.
‘Bilateral coordination is the backbone of the entire operation’
One of the main priorities for both governments this year is reducing wait times and preventing bottlenecks at embarkation points, particularly during peak travel days. Both sides stressed the importance of encouraging travelers to purchase fixed-date tickets in advance, a recurring recommendation aimed at easing congestion and improving boarding efficiency.
Among the key innovations for 2026 is a new digital management system that will, for the first time, integrate real-time data on traffic flows, port operations, weather conditions, and incidents. The system is designed to optimize passenger and vehicle management and allow authorities to anticipate and respond to saturation at major transit points.
Barcones told reporters that bilateral coordination is the backbone of the entire operation. “It is the key to the success of this operation,” she noted, adding that effective planning alone is not enough.
“We have to be prepared to respond to any circumstance that may arise, and that is why coordination between the two countries and permanent communication between our respective teams is fundamental,” she stated.
She also acknowledged that rising transit volumes bring new logistical challenges each year. “Every year we face new challenges, and that requires knowledge, effort, and dedication to design the right plan for each specific Operation,” Barcones remarked.
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Barcones pointed to the strategic scale of the operation and its deeply human dimension, noting the attention given to it at the highest levels in Morocco.
The operation’s steady growth in scale and complexity continues to test both countries’ capacity to manage one of the world’s most demanding seasonal border transit systems.
Read also: ‘Operation Marhaba’: Tanger Med Port Maintains Position as Main Hub for Moroccan Diaspora
