A recent international study published in the scientific journal Maritime Economics and Logistics found that the Red Sea crisis, which erupted in late 2023, gave a major boost to the Port of Tangier Med, strengthening its position as one of the region’s leading logistics and maritime hubs.
The study analyzed data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) before and after the first attack targeting maritime navigation on Nov. 19, 2023. Researchers examined the impact of commercial shipping routes shifting toward South Africa instead of the Suez Canal, a disruption that significantly affected container traffic across the Mediterranean.
According to the study, Egypt’s Port Said suffered losses estimated at around 8.5 million TEUs, or twenty-foot equivalent units, while Greece’s Port of Piraeus recorded a decline of about 1.5 million TEUs because of disruptions in shipping routes between Asia and Europe.
In contrast, Western Mediterranean ports showed greater resilience, particularly Tangier Med, Algeciras, and Valencia. The study found that Tangier Med’s losses did not exceed 3%, the lowest among major regional ports.
Researchers also noted that Eastern Mediterranean ports lost a significant share of mega-ship traffic, while Western Mediterranean ports, led by Tangier Med, maintained strong activity thanks to their geographic position and infrastructure capable of accommodating some of the world’s largest cargo vessels.
Tangier Med’s resilience
The study attributed Tangier Med’s resilience to four main factors: its strategic location along the Strait of Gibraltar, its ability to receive multiple mega-ships, its integration into a broad industrial and logistics ecosystem that allows flexibility during international disruptions, and its governance model based on partnerships between the state and major international operators.
According to the study, these advantages played a key role in maintaining the Moroccan port’s attractiveness to global shipping companies.
Researchers concluded that the Red Sea crisis not only disrupted global supply chains but also reshaped port activity across the Mediterranean, reinforcing Tangier Med’s role as one of the region’s most important maritime and logistics hubs.
Separately, the 2026 Line Shipping Connectivity Index published by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ranked Morocco among the world’s top 20 countries with a score of 259.33 points.
The ranking reflects Morocco’s growing role as a regional logistics hub connecting Africa to global markets, driven by improvements in national port performance led by Tangier Med and highlighting the Kingdom’s broader transformation in logistics infrastructure, competitiveness, and investment attractiveness.
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