The Operation Crossing of the Strait (OPE) 2025 has concluded at the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa with historical highs in the main indicators. The president of the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA), Gerardo Landaluce, quantified the number of passengers at 3,022,815, a 5.3% increase compared to 2024; 658,398 vehicles, with a 3.5% increase; and 86,510 trucks, representing an 18% year-on-year growth. "This exceedingly high number had never been achieved before," he noted, placing the joint quota of Algeciras and Tarifa at 75% of the national total of the OPE.
To size up the volume, Landaluce compared the movement of travelers to "four and a half times" the population of Seville (about 700,000 inhabitants) and to "eleven times" that of the Campo de Gibraltar (279,000). He stated that the goals of security and fluidity "have been achieved," although he advanced that internal analyses will be conducted on specific aspects of management with a view toward future editions.
On the maritime side, the device accumulated 6,537 calls between the Strait ports: 2,961 in Tangier Med, 1,968 in Ceuta, and 1,608 in Tangier Ville. In this regard, the APBA has expressed its recognition to the shipping companies and their crews for the coordination achieved during the campaign, in line with the state scheme led by Civil Protection and the Government Sub-delegation. The distribution of rotations has allowed, according to Landaluce, to modulate frequencies during peak periods, with adjustments to the routes Algeciras–Ceuta, Algeciras–Tangier Med, and Tarifa–Tangier Ville.
The port of Tarifa marked the most significant relative advance. The port served 632,950 passengers (+13%) and 116,751 vehicles (+12.4%), so, according to Landaluce, "one in four passengers" crossing between Algeciras and Tarifa used this port. The president of the APBA emphasized the work of the local operation, with a specific mention of the Port Police, in a context of demand peaks and high pressure on pre-embarkation spaces. In response to criticism from the Federation of Entrepreneurs of Tarifa, he clarified the distribution of responsibilities: traffic management outside the port premises corresponds to the Local Police and the Civil Guard, noting that coordination with these bodies and the National Police was maintained throughout the campaign.
Beyond operations, Landaluce focused on accessibility. He recalled that the port of Tarifa has been Schengen for over 20 years and that during this period "20 million passengers have been managed." In this context, he reiterated the need for direct access to the premises to separate urban and port traffic and alleviate congestion during high demand episodes. He linked this action to the duplication of the N-340 between Algeciras and Tarifa - "the only segment with a single lane between Barcelona and Cádiz," he noted - considering that the flows from the OPE, the summer season, and the daily mobility of the Campo de Gibraltar justify its execution. As a temporal reference, he cited the schedule for the 2030 World Cup.
The increase in heavy traffic became relevant due to its operational impact. The ro-ro of trucks affects docking windows, yard occupancy, and turnaround times in line. The combination of growth in passengers, cars, and commercial vehicles required continuous adjustments in the scheduling of calls, sizing of border control filters, and management of access lanes, with variable priority based on demand and security needs. According to the APBA, the balance between the land side and the maritime side helped contain wait times during the most critical periods.
Landaluce framed the OPE as "a state operation," with a device coordinated by Civil Protection and supported by the Government Sub-delegation, State Security Forces and Corps, health services, municipalities, and the Port Authority itself. The president thanked the work of the APBA teams, shipping companies, and various public services involved, and indicated that, looking toward 2026, internal improvements in capacity and flows will be studied, along with proposals to the competent administrations regarding road accesses.
The overall balance leaves a scenario of increasing demand in the Strait, with Tarifa as the port of relative growth and Algeciras as the hub with the highest volume. The combination of 3,022,815 passengers, 658,398 vehicles, and 86,510 trucks, along with 6,537 calls in Tangier Med, Ceuta, and Tangier Ville, shapes a 2025 campaign with figures surpassing those of 2024. According to the APBA, maintaining similar service levels in future editions depends on capacity actions at the premises and improving external road connections, with a priority on direct access to Tarifa and the N-340 between Algeciras and Tarifa.