The port of Tarifa has closed the fiscal year 2025 with 1,521,555 passengers, a 14% increase compared to the previous year that consolidates the differentiated profile of the Tarifan enclave in the port system of the Strait of Gibraltar. The provisional data presented by the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) positions Tarifa as the port with the highest relative dynamism in the maritime passenger corridor with Morocco, with growth rates that double the average of the total.
The president of the APBA, Gerardo Landaluce, emphasized during the press conference that "Tarifa has its own profile", a statement supported by the evolution of its market share in the passenger traffic of the Strait. According to the records of the Port Authority, "one in four passengers is already choosing the port of Tarifa", which represents a 24% share of the total travelers channeled by the ports managed by the APBA.
In aggregate terms, passenger traffic between Algeciras and Tarifa has reached 6.3 million travelers in 2025, a historical maximum that represents a year-on-year growth of 6.7%. Landaluce has described this record as "historic record", noting that the recovery initiated in 2024 after the slump of the pandemic has culminated in surpassing the figures prior to the health crisis.
The behavior of vehicle traffic in Tarifa has followed a similar trajectory, with 1.4 million units moved and an increase of 6.2% compared to the previous year. This evolution reflects the growth of tourism with private vehicles in the corridor with northern Morocco and the consolidation of Tarifa as an operational alternative to the port of Algeciras for certain demand segments.
The Operation Crossing of the Strait (OPE) has significantly contributed to these records. As detailed by the president of the APBA, "for the first time more than three million passengers" have been exceeded during the summer period, with a growth of 5.3%. The operational parameters have improved compared to previous campaigns: "In the most critical moments, with a higher volume of activity, wait times have not exceeded six hours," Landaluce specified, who has valued this indicator as "a very important KPI" in the management of the operation.
The president of the port authority has expressed his recognition to the operating teams and Port Police "for their magnificent work at such a delicate time as the management of the Operation Crossing of the Strait", highlighting that "Tarifa has again marked its own profile and has experienced very important growths" during the summer campaign.
In the scope of port-city initiatives, the APBA has announced advances in the urban integration projects of the Tarifa port. Landaluce has confirmed "the approval of Maria Coronel Street, the approval of the seaside promenade" and has indicated that the port authority continues "implementing the agreement recently signed with the City Council of Tarifa, in new projects, such as the issue of La Caleta."
The fishing sector has also recorded an expansive behavior in the overall port system of the Bay of Algeciras, with an 11% growth in fishing traffic during 2025, driven especially by the activity of the port of Tarifa.