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The Operation Crossing the Strait 2016 has started
Although for many the 15th of June is just the halfway point of this summer month, for the maritime sector —in which we find port agencies in Ceuta such as Salama— it is a specially relevant day. The reason? The beginning of Operation Crossing the Strait (OPE) 2016, an operation that will last until the next 15th of September and which forecasts the approximate traffic of more than 500.000 people and a total of 100.000 vehicles.
This operation, active since 1986 and coordinated jointly by the staff of the General Management of Civil Protection and Emergencies of the Ministry of the Interior, was created with the objective of coordinating the arrival at Algecira's Port of people coming from countries like France and Turkey who must cross the Strait of Gibraltar to meet their family in the north of Africa (mainly Morocco), taking advantage of the holiday period.
An operation that requires control and attention, considering it involves the transfer of families from one continent to the other. Although Salama does not operate directly in this phase, we must remain on the lookout for every movement registered in the Strait to avoid possible inconveniences with the rest of vessels which —simultaneously with passenger ships and vehicles— cross this area of the planet with such a busy traffic.
Positive numbers for the sector
With the beginning of the OPE and with Algeciras’ and Ceuta's Ports dealing with the details regarding staff and facilities, Ceuta's Port is going through the best of its times. Days back, and according to the statistics published by State Ports, port traffic (of both passengers and goods) would have increased more than a 15% in Ceuta. In fact, only in April it would have increased a 14,3%.
Focusing on cargo traffic —one of the strengths of our agency in Ceuta's Port—, more than 217.000 tones would have been moved up to date, that is, between a 10 and a 12 per cent more than in 2015.
On the other hand, and in the same way that containers traffic increases, rising numbers of cargo moved in Ceuta's Port have been registered, with a total —only in April— of 13.157 containers (versus 10.000 in 2015).
Photo Credit: Pepe Gutiérrez