Tanger Med set for increase in ship traffic as Middle East tensions disrupt routes

Morocco’s Tanger Med Port could see a surge in ship calls as escalating tensions in the Middle East force major shipping lines to reroute vessels around Africa, a senior port official said.

Idriss Aarabi, managing director of the port authority, told Reuters that ships diverting via the Cape of Good Hope are expected to face delays of 10 to 14 days before reaching Tanger Med.

Several global carriers, including Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM, have already begun rerouting vessels along this longer route.

Strategically positioned near major maritime corridors, Tanger Med serves as a key transshipment hub linking long-haul routes with regional services across Europe, West Africa and the Mediterranean. The port handled more than 11 million containers in 2025, an increase of 8.4% from the previous year, according to Moroccan port authorities.

Aarabi said the port is prioritizing capacity management to prevent congestion as traffic volumes rise. He added that the full impact on cargo flows is expected by mid- to late April 2026, noting that no vessel calls have been canceled so far.

The longer routes are also driving up costs. Aarabi said rerouting via southern Africa has increased fuel consumption and freight rates, with shipping companies applying war-risk, emergency conflict and deviation surcharges ranging from $1,500 to $3,300 per container, and up to $4,000 for specialized cargo.

The shift comes as vessels have increasingly avoided the Suez Canal and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait since late 2023 due to security concerns tied to the Middle East conflict and disruptions affecting the Strait of Hormuz.

Analysts say the disruptions are accelerating the use of alternative maritime corridors and boosting the importance of transshipment hubs like Tanger Med. The changes are also expected to benefit Africa’s bunkering sector as ships take longer routes and require additional fuel stops.