Tanger Med is preparing for more ship traffic after tensions involving Iran, Israel and the United States pushed shipping companies to avoid the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.
Idriss Arabi, head of the Tanger Med Port Authority, said major operators such as Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM are now sending ships around the Cape of Good Hope. This longer route adds between 10 and 14 days to trips to Morocco. He said no ships have cancelled their stops so far and the port is focused on handling extra traffic and avoiding delays. The full effect is expected by mid to late April 2026.
Ships travelling from Asia to Europe or the US East Coast usually pass through the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Suez Canal. Now they are sailing around South Africa and heading north along the Atlantic coast. That makes Tanger Med the first major hub they reach before entering the Mediterranean or crossing the Atlantic.
Tanger Med mainly works as a transfer hub. Huge ships unload thousands of containers, which are quickly moved onto smaller ships and sent to ports in Europe and West Africa. Because the new route adds about two weeks to journeys, shipping companies need fast ports to save time.
The port handled 11.1 million containers in 2025, an increase of 8.4 percent from the year before, and is linked to more than 180 ports worldwide. Its automated TC3 and TC4 terminals can handle the world’s biggest container ships. The final extension of the TC4 terminal opened in early 2025, increasing capacity just before the rerouting began.
The port also sits next to a large industrial zone with more than 1,100 companies, linking factories and logistics in one place.
In 2025 Tanger Med handled far more containers than major Spanish ports. Valencia processed about 6 million containers and Algeciras around 5 million, compared with Tanger Med’s 11.1 million. Lower labour costs and fewer environmental taxes than EU ports have made it cheaper for shipping companies to use.
April is expected to be the busiest period. Ships delayed by the longer route are likely to arrive at the same time as normal traffic, which will test the port’s ability to avoid congestion in the Strait of Gibraltar.
Morocco is also planning ahead for tourism. Passenger capacity at Tanger Med will double from 30,000 to 60,000 travellers per day before the 2030 World Cup, which the country will co-host. The aim is to turn the port into a major gateway for both trade and tourism.
