HIBAPRESS – Mohammed Zerouikh
The occupied port of Melilla witnessed a remarkable increase in passenger traffic returning to Europe during the reverse phase of Operation "Marhaba 2026". The number of passengers transiting through the port exceeded 106,000, a figure reflecting a rising dynamic as the operation, scheduled to end on September 15th, approaches.
The recorded data indicates that the number of passengers increased by approximately 30% compared to the same period in 2025, when their number did not exceed around 81,000. Meanwhile, the number of cars that crossed the port in the reverse direction surpassed 25,000 vehicles, compared to about 20,000 last year.
Amidst the continued influx of community members wishing to return to their countries of residence, the number of passengers in the city of Melilla on Thursday, September 3rd, awaiting sea crossings towards the European coast, reached approximately 3,823 passengers, in addition to 790 vehicles that were also preparing to cross.
Maritime activity also recorded a clear increase, with 136 voyages completed since the start of the reverse phase, compared to 108 voyages during the same period last year. This represents an increase of nearly 36%, an indicator of rising demand for sea connections to and from the occupied city.
The increase specifically included sea routes connecting Melilla with several Spanish ports, most notably Almeria and Motril, as well as the maritime line connecting Melilla with Malaga. These routes have seen increasing demand from community members during the return period.
This dynamic recorded at the port of Melilla comes at a time when return traffic through various Spanish crossings and ports is experiencing a general decline. The number of passengers has decreased by about 4.7%, and the number of vehicles by 3.2% compared to the same period last year, despite the total number of passengers returning to Europe exceeding 1.4 million people.
The ports of the Strait of Gibraltar remain at the forefront of reverse transit traffic, with the Tangier Med–Algeciras line accounting for 45.5% of the total traffic, followed by the Tangier Ville–Tarifa line at 15.5%. The line connecting Nador and Almeria holds the third position with 13%, as ports in the region continue to receive large numbers of community members as "Marhaba 2026" nears its conclusion.
