Morocco launched Operation Marhaba 2026 at Tanger Med on Wednesday, activating the annual summer reception system for Moroccans living abroad as ports on both sides of the Strait prepare for one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The operation, carried out under royal instructions and coordinated by the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity with port, customs, security and health authorities, will run until September 15. It covers arrival and return phases for Moroccans crossing from Europe by sea, air and land.
The Foundation has activated 26 reception sites, including 20 in Morocco and six in European ports in Spain, France and Italy.
The Moroccan sites include Tanger Med, Tanger Ville, Al Hoceima, Nador Bni Nsar, major airports, rest areas on key transit routes, and the Bab Sebta and Melilla border crossings.
In Europe, Marhaba reception spaces are operating in Genoa, Sète, Marseille, Motril, Almeria and Algeciras, the main departure points used by Moroccan expatriates during the summer crossing.
Sanaa Dardikh, communication director at the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, said the 26th edition of Marhaba reflects the “special and continuous care” given to Moroccans abroad and the Foundation’s field-based support for the diaspora.
She said social workers, medical teams and assistance staff will remain mobilized for three months to help travelers during administrative, customs, medical and social procedures.
Omar Moussa Abdellah, project manager at the Foundation, said nearly 1,400 people have been mobilized, including Foundation staff, social workers, doctors, paramedical teams and volunteers.
The launch comes as Spanish ports are also scaling up their side of the summer crossing, known as Operación Paso del Estrecho. Spanish media reported that the operation expects to manage more than 3.5 million passengers and 800,000 vehicles this season, with more than 31,500 people mobilized across security, health, translation and volunteer services.
Ferry operators have also expanded capacity. Baleària has announced its largest deployment for the crossing, with up to 37 daily services between Spain and North Africa, including nine daily Algeciras-Tanger Med crossings and 12 Tarifa-Tangier Ville services.
The crossing is also being reinforced on the security side, with Frontex-coordinated Operation Minerva active in Algeciras, Ceuta and Tarifa to support border control, document checks and anti-trafficking efforts during the summer flow.
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