Port Authority of Alicante and the IX Spanish-Moroccan Business Meeting
The Alicante Port Authority participated in the IX Spanish-Moroccan Business Meeting, held this week under the theme “Maritime, Transport and Logistics: A lever for development and competitiveness.” The event was organized by the Spanish Official Chamber of Commerce in Tangier. The conference aims to strengthen the already solid ties with Tangier’s port, Tanger Med, and to highlight the regional potential as a gateway to Europe for select goods, thanks to robust rail and road connections. The forum also reflected a recent disruption: a direct cargo shipping line to Morocco that existed until February has been paused, affecting some stakeholders and underscoring the need for renewed business support and collaboration across the supply chain.
Alicante-based Baleària, a shipping company, plans to launch a new cargo line next week connecting Turkish ports with Motril and Tanger Med. This move expands freight transport routes from southern Spain to North Africa and reinforces the company’s role in intermodal logistics across the western Mediterranean.
Baleària will offer daily cargo services from both ports, with departures scheduled at 12:00 from Motril and 23:59 from Tanger Med. The service operates with a cargo capacity suitable for large consignments, supporting a growing trade corridor linked to Europe and North Africa.
Key participants in the commercial mission included Mónica Bautista, Commercial Director representing the Port Authority; Jesús Aznar, TMS Director; Aleática López, Commercial Director of Aleática Madrid; José Andrés Martínez, representing the Romeu Group in Alicante; and José Manuel Trujillo, Director of Trualtrans, among others. [Source: Tangier meeting organizers and participating entities]
Weekly throughput targets and regional connectivity
The port is positioned to transport around 1,600 containers per week to and from destinations including the Canary Islands, Turkey, Malta, and Marseille. The event featured a mix of formal sessions and interactive exchanges, with a first institutional segment followed by three focused plenaries: the Strait of Gibraltar front, the Mediterranean front, and the Atlantic front. Attendees from Spanish and Moroccan companies engaged in business roundtables and visits to exhibition booths to explore service delivery collaborations.
The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism organized the appointment in coordination with the Spanish Embassy in Rabat and the Economy and Trade Office in Rabat and Casablanca. The objective was to deepen cooperation among Spanish and Moroccan firms and institutions, boosting efficiency and competitiveness across the regional economy.
The Tangier Mediterranean port complex is regarded as Africa’s leading hub, connected to 186 ports worldwide and serving more than 70 countries. It acts as a global logistics center with more than 900 companies, capable of handling nine million containers, seven million passengers, 700,000 trucks, and one million vehicles annually. A February initiative opened a new line with Morocco to facilitate transport of goods, moving about 300 tons per week. Organizers describe Morocco as a natural complement to road transport linking Spain, France, and Northern Europe, contributing to decarbonization and expanding services for the Spanish logistics sector.
Regaining pre-pandemic traffic through container growth
Efforts at the Port Authority include advancing the second container terminal at the Port of Alicante. Works are ongoing on Pier No. 11, carried out by Hub Portuario de Alicante, the terminal concessionaire. The rehabilitation covers roughly 70,000 square meters and links seamlessly with the rail network, with a target capacity of 1,600 containers per week. The aim is to transform the area into a comprehensive peninsula logistics node, enabling direct transport on the Alicante-Canary Islands corridor and forming an intermodal hub that connects with other national and European port regions.
The initial investment for commissioning the new terminal is projected at nearly 11 million euros, with progress already around 10%. By 2023, the facility was expected to handle 1,600 containers weekly across routes to Turkish ports, the Canary Islands, Marseille, Malta, and Turkey.
Facility expansion and funding discussions
There has been advocacy from the Alicante State Labor Union regarding the port’s expansion, urging authorities to secure European funds that would enhance facilities and maintain competitiveness against other ports. Calls have been made for stronger support from the Port Authority and regional leadership to attract funding that could drive new development and safeguard the port’s future from being overtaken by similar facilities elsewhere.
In conversations about future investments, the Cadiz port’s successful 2021 European Connectivity Facility highlighted the potential for a railway branch capable of handling long trains. Proponents believe similar infrastructure could enable the Port of Alicante to strengthen its connection to the Canary Islands and other key markets, which is essential to preserving competitiveness against peers in the region.
Advocates argue that sustaining momentum on upgrades and funding will help the Port of Alicante maintain a proactive role in national and European logistics networks, ensuring access to major intermodal routes and diversified markets.