Maersk shifts major shipping route from Algeciras to Tanger Med

COPENHAGEN : Danish shipping giant Maersk has announced it will redirect its MECL Service route from Spain’s Port of Algeciras to Morocco’s Tanger Med Port, representing a major transformation in Mediterranean maritime logistics.

According to Spanish media reports, the change will take effect from February 24, when the Maersk Atlanta 509W makes its first call at the new rotation.

The MECL service, which connects India, Pakistan, and the Middle East with the United States’ East Coast, will no longer stop at Algeciras on its westbound journey.

Maersk officials stated the decision was based on “commercial decisions” aimed at improving transit times.

“The change will allow us to reduce shipping times by five days from India, Pakistan, and the Middle East to the US East Coast,” the company explained in an official statement.

This decision coincides with the rollout of the European Union’s new carbon dioxide emissions control regulations.

The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), which took effect on December 1, could generate additional costs of up to €160,000 per vessel, according to a study by IRP Engineering consultancy.

Francisco Arroyal, Vice President of the Confederation of Entrepreneurs of the Port of Algeciras, expressed concern about the development.

“Morocco simply competes with different tools,” he stated, noting that “The competition offers tax benefits and exemption from obligations that we have to comply with.”

The shift also reflects broader changes in regional port dynamics. Juan Ureta, president of the Andalucía Bay 20.30 platform, suggested the decision might also be related to avoiding Red Sea blockades by Houthi forces in Yemen.

“It’s a decision that makes sense because by diverting to Tangier, they reduce time by almost five days,” Ureta explained.

Despite the route change, Maersk has affirmed its commitment to Algeciras, describing it as a “strategic priority” in its future plans.

The port will benefit from the recent Gemini commercial agreement with Hapag-Lloyd, which includes several key services between Asia and Europe.

The company announced that vessels carrying up to 20,000 TEU containers will begin calling at the Andalusian port from February 1.