Tanger Med port authorities have adopted a firm-ticket system, requiring passengers to hold a confirmed departure date and time before accessing the port, as part of this year’s Marhaba operation for Moroccans returning from abroad, La Vie Eco and other local media reported.
The measure, already in place for five years at the ports of Tangier, Tarifa, Nador and Ceuta, has been extended this year to Tanger Med and Algeciras, the aim being to regulate passenger flow and ensure smooth transit while accounting for the capacity of the maritime fleet, the port authority said.
All passengers, particularly members of the Moroccan community living abroad, must confirm their ferry departure time before heading to the port, either at Tanger Med’s rest areas near the entrance to the Tangier-Ksar Sghir highway or through shipping companies’ apps, websites or customer service lines. Authorities are also advising travelers to avoid peak periods, including weekends and the last week of August.
Tanger Med’s central director, Jaafar Aamiyar, told the state news agency MAP the firm-ticket system was designed to regulate passenger arrivals according to ferry schedules and prevent fleet saturation, with the ultimate goal of avoiding prolonged waiting times at the port. Passengers without a confirmed ticket can contact shipping companies to adjust their booking, including at rest areas along the Kenitra-Tangier highway.
Anticipating a sharp rise in passenger numbers toward the end of August, Aamiyar urged travelers to check traffic forecasts before heading to the port and to avoid that period if possible, as authorities work alongside national police, customs and local officials to keep processing times and border formalities as smooth as possible during the operation.
