The total volume of goods that transited Morocco’s ports rose from 195 million tons in 2022 to 209.4 million tons in 2023, a 7.4% increase, according to Morocco’s Ministry of Equipment and Water.
Domestic traffic, excluding transshipments, moved around 112.7 million tons, a 2.3% year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, transshipment activity saw a 14% increase, contributing 96.7 million tons to the overall volume, accounting for 46.2% of overall port traffic.
Transshipments remained the dominant driver at 46.2%, followed by imports at 32.1%, and exports making up 17.2% of the share. Landing activities accounted for 3.8%, while ship fueling covered the remaining 0.8%.
Tangier Med Port experienced a 13.7% surge in container transshipments and a 17.5% increase in fuel transshipments.
Imports remained stable at 67.2 million tons, with increases in grains, sulfur, and fuels. Coal and phosphate imports declined slightly.
Exports increased by 3.5%, reaching 36 million tons, primarily driven by fertilizers and cement clinker exports, despite decreases in phosphate and sulfuric acid offsetting some gains.
Clearance activities also rose 2.7%, reaching 7.9 million tons, attributed to a rise in container clearing and fuel-related activities.
Despite an 8.2% decrease in ship fueling activities, amounting to 1.7 million tons, the sector continues to play a vital role in supporting maritime navigation.
New vehicle imports experienced a remarkable 16% surge, totaling 673,630 units imported, with 77% of those subsequently being exported.
Passenger traffic climbed by 39.1%, totaling 4,785,223 individuals, with the ports of Nador, Tangier Med, and Tangier Medina handling over 98% of this influx.
Tourist cruises experienced a significant revival, with a 91.9% increase in cruise ship arrivals, bringing 192,996 passengers, indicating a positive outlook for tourism in Morocco.
Coastal and traditional fishing declined by 11%, at around 1.35 million tons, despite remaining a crucial contributor to the national economy and food security.
Commercial ship arrivals increased by 16%, with over 27,900 vessels navigating through Moroccan ports, underscoring the growing importance of Morocco as a maritime hub.