The Operation Crossing the Strait (OPE), the largest migratory movement in the world between two continents, once again puts coordination between Spain and Morocco to the test. Government sources assure that the relationship between Madrid and Rabat is "at its best moment", and proof of this, according to the Government, is the device that allows the safe transit of people and vehicles, which has reached a historic figure: more than One million passengers crossed from Spain to North Africa between June 15 and July 26, 6.1% more than in 2002. And the busiest days begin today.
In 2022, the OPE – which in Morocco is known as Marhaba – resumed as normal after two years of suspension. In 2020, due to covid restrictions, and in 2021, due to the diplomatic crisis unleashed between the two countries. The operation last year was completed with a total of 1,430,340 passengers and 349,735 vehicles. This year they are expected to exceed all figures.
From today until next Tuesday are the four days contemplated in the special plan as one of the periods with the greatest influx and traffic of people in this exit phase. During the days considered critical, the special plan establishes a series of additional measures, such as the interchangeability of tickets, which will help speed up passenger boarding as much as possible. In the return phase, the largest crowds are expected to take place on August 29, 30 and 31 and September 1.
The ports of Algeciras, Tarifa, Málaga, Motril, Almería, Alicante, Vaència, Ceuta and Melilla participate in the OPE. In the departure phase, the ports of the Bay of Algeciras, in Cádiz, are the ones that have concentrated the greatest volume of traffic, 70.9% of the total. 60.1% of the vehicles have departed from Algeciras and 10.8% from Tarifa. On the other side of the Strait, the ports that receive the greatest volume of vehicles are those of Tangier-Med (43.3%), Tangier Ville (10.8%) and Ceuta (17.4%).
On the other hand, there are already 123,957 citizens who have returned to Spain from North Africa, 9.6% more than on the same date in 2022. During this period, the citizens who have passed through Spanish ports have had health and social assistance when they have required it, according to Interior reports. So far, 660 health care and 2,234 social care have been carried out.
The department headed by Fernando Grande-Marlaska has coordinated this 34th edition of the OPE, which will last until September 15, but the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Ecological Transition have participated in it. Also the DGT, the Red Cross, the State Meteorological Agency...
To guarantee safe and fluid development, a security device made up of more than 19,000 agents of the State security forces and bodies has been deployed.
