Operation Crossing the Strait carries more than 640,000 passengers and 160,000 vehicles during its first month

Since its launch on 15 June, Operation Crossing the Strait (OPE) 2026 has seen more than 640,000 passengers and 160,000 vehicles embark at the Spanish ports participating in the initiative, maintaining high levels of smooth flow and coordination thanks to the joint efforts of the administrations and agencies involved.

This edition of the OPE is the first in which the European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES) has been mandatory, a system that replaces manual passport stamping with the digital registration of biometric data for travellers arriving from non-EU countries.

The launch of the EES, which has required an increase in staff and resources at the participating ports, has proceeded without incident or significant delays to embarkation during this first month of operation, thanks to advance planning and coordination between the Spanish agencies and the Moroccan authorities.

The Secretary-General for Civil Protection and Emergencies, Virginia Barcones, has highlighted "the effectiveness of the planning measures adopted for this year's operation, particularly with regard to the management of passenger flows, port coordination and public information, with the aim of ensuring safe and orderly travel to North Africa".

Cumulative data

The cumulative figures for this OPE 2026, covering the period from 15 June to 15 July 2026, show that a total of 646,121 passengers and 160,698 vehicles have crossed by sea, via a total of 2,220 ship sailings.

Compared with the same period last year, passenger traffic has fallen by 4.9%, whilst the number of vehicles carried has fallen by 4.4%. Furthermore, the number of sailings carried out by shipping companies has fallen by 6.3% compared with last year. However, these figures indicate a stable operational performance and the consolidation of travel flows between Europe and North Africa amidst high demand.

By port, Algeciras continues to account for the highest volume of traffic in the operation, with 357,590 passengers and 100,047 vehicles, followed by Almería and Tarifa, with 115,000 passengers each and 28,479 and 16,904 vehicles respectively since the start of the operation.

As regards ferry routes, the Algeciras-Tangier Med route remains the busiest, with 250,504 passengers and 75,700 vehicles, followed by Tarifa-Tangier Ville, with 115,880 passengers and 16,904 vehicles, and Algeciras-Ceuta, with 107,086 passengers and 24,347 vehicles.

During the course of the operation, the support services deployed at the ports carried out a total of 386 medical interventions and 2,993 social support interventions, which highlights the importance of the traveller support scheme set up by Civil Protection and Emergencies, in collaboration with the Red Cross and the other participating organisations.

By port area, Valencia recorded the highest number of cumulative social assistance cases, with 1,013 interventions, followed by Tarifa, with 939, and Algeciras, with 364. In terms of medical assistance, Almería stands out with 247 cases, and Tarifa with 57 interventions.

Advance planning to reduce waiting times

Virginia Barcones has reminded travellers of "the importance of planning their journeys well in advance, purchasing fixed-route tickets before arriving at the port, and checking all personal and vehicle documentation before setting off". These measures help to reduce waiting times, prevent overcrowding and ensure that the system continues to run smoothly on the busiest days.

Operation Crossing the Strait 2026 will run until 15 September 2026, coordinated by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection and Emergencies and involving the State law enforcement forces and agencies, port authorities, harbour master's offices, health services, the Red Cross and other public bodies and institutions working together to ensure the safe, comfortable and efficient transit of millions of travellers between Europe and Africa.

Non official translation