Morocco: Port traffic up 5.5% in first three weeks of April – authorities

Morocco’s ports authority ANP reported a 5.5% rise to 28 million tons in commercial traffic through Morocco’s ports compared to the same period last year, despite the restrictions that disrupted much of the global trade due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The ANP ascribed the performance to a 34% surge in cereals imports, which amounted to 3 million tons at a time consumption of wheat spiked amid low domestic output.

Fertilizers and phosphates exports jumped 64.8% and 6.4% respectively while container traffic rose 1.3%, ANP said, noting a drop in oil and gas imports.

The ANP said it took a series of measures to ensure staff safety and continuation of traffic at different Moroccan export/import ports.

Tangier port in northern Morocco is Africa’s busiest port and has the Mediterranean largest handling capacity of 9 million containers.