Spanish authorities will begin expanding maritime barriers in the Tarajal and Benzú areas of Ceuta on Nov. 17, in a €5 million project aimed at strengthening border controls and preventing migrants from swimming into the Spanish-administered city from Morocco.
A specialized vessel is expected to arrive in Ceuta on that date to begin drilling into the seabed and installing the foundations for the new structures, according to Spanish newspaper El Debate, which quoted government delegate David de la Encina.
The project will extend the existing maritime barriers by about 150 meters into the sea. The current structures extend roughly 50 meters from the coastline.
The new barriers will rest on supports anchored to the seabed and reinforced with a layer of rocks designed to withstand waves and other marine conditions.
Spanish authorities also plan to install galvanized steel anti-climbing fences to make the structures more difficult to cross.
The expanded system will include a floating barrier, bringing the total length of the maritime border protection infrastructure to nearly 500 meters, according to statements reported by Spanish media.
De la Encina said the work would follow an urgent procedure because of its importance to border security and infrastructure.
Spain’s Interior Ministry spent August, September and October securing the administrative and environmental permits needed to move the project forward.
These permits included authorization to use public maritime land, environmental clearances and technical tests to assess the strength and durability of the planned structures.
The expansion follows mass migrant crossings into Ceuta in late July, when large numbers of people attempted to reach the city by land and sea.
Spanish newspaper El Faro de Ceuta described the maritime expansion as one of the expected measures to reinforce border protection in Tarajal and Benzú.
However, the project has also drawn scrutiny over its implementation timeline and the transparency of the contract. Local associations have called for more information about the construction work and the administrative procedures behind it.
Nov. 17 will mark the start of the project’s implementation, following months of preparations and permit approvals.
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