As part of the “Marhaba 2024” operation, Moroccan ports had received more than 538,000 passengers by July 15th, an 4% increase compared to the same period last year, Morocco’s Minister of transports and logistics Mohammed Abdeljalil said.
During his presentation on “Marhaba 2024 provisional figures” at the House of Councillors, Abdeljalil emphasized that his department is mobilizing all material and human resources to guarantee that Moroccan community members arrive and pass through transit points in the best possible way.
This can be achieved by enhancing coordination, sharing information, and anticipating the difficulties of managing periods of high influx by involving all relevant parties.
The Minister stated that Morocco is expected to see a significant influx of Moroccan diaspora this year, as in previous years.
The Ministry and the organizations under its control have increased their efforts to guarantee a sufficient supply of international road, air, and sea transport lines to meet demand, as well as to support the transport companies involved in the Marhaba operation by granting them the required licenses.
In response to a question about the maritime travel offer, Abdeljalil said that the Ministry had deployed 29 ships, offering 535 weekly journeys on all maritime lines connecting Moroccan ports with Spanish, French, and Italian ports. The ministry estimates that these voyages will carry 487,000 passengers and 130,000 cars.
In regard to aviation, 52 airlines have been given permission to operate 2,060 scheduled flights per week on average, connecting Morocco with 135 international airports across 52 countries. This represents a 15% increase from the summer of 2023.
There is an adequate supply of transportation services for international road passenger transport by bus. It includes 75 international transport companies, of which 35 are Moroccan, that operate 69 international passenger transport lines connecting Morocco with France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and the Netherlands. These lines provide approximately 288 weekly trips, with a capacity of 14,400 seats.
With 48 trains scheduled daily to connect Tangier with the Kingdom’s cities and 38 trains to connect the Mohammed V Airport, the Railways National Office (ONCF) has increased service. Throughout the day, there is one train every hour.