The Strait Crossing Operation (OPE), which began on June 15 and concludes on September 15, has already surpassed 450,000 departures. This operation, crucial for the annual transit of thousands of Maghrebi citizens who work in Europe and travel to their home countries for holidays, has so far facilitated the movement of 458,150 passengers and 115,002 vehicles through Spanish ports.
According to data provided by Civil Protection and Emergencies, a total of 1,832 rotations (round trips) have been completed by the vessels. Departures have occurred from ports such as Algeciras, Alicante, Almería, Málaga, Motril, Tarifa, and Valencia, connecting with various locations in North Africa, including Ceuta, Tangier Med, Algiers, Oran, Ghazaouet, Melilla, Nador, Alhucemas, Tangier Ville, and Mostaganem.
Current figures show a slight decrease compared to the same period last year. On the same date in 2025, 463,873 people (1.2% less) and 117,111 vehicles (1.8% less) were recorded, with 1,936 rotations (5.4% less).
The operation has been characterized by smooth traffic flow both at the ports and at the Tarajal border crossing between Ceuta and Morocco. Recently, a one-hour queue was experienced at the customs crossing, but generally, significant traffic jams have been avoided.
The Algeciras-Tangier maritime route accounts for the largest share of departures, representing 46.5% of the total. This is followed by the Algeciras-Ceuta route (16.5%), Almería-Nador (13.7%), and Tarifa-Tangier Ville (9.9%). The routes with the lowest traffic volume are Almería-Oran (0.6%) and Almería-Ghazaouet (0.7%).
Since the OPE began on June 15, 290 health assistance cases and 2,281 social assistance cases have been provided at the seven involved ports.
