All indicators of the Tanger Med port are green. According to a press release from Tanger Med Port Authority (TMPA), released on Monday, the Tanger Med port complex handled an overall tonnage of 107,822,662 tonnes in 2022, up 6% compared to 2021. This traffic should represent approximately 54% of all the port tonnage carried out in Morocco.
Container traffic continues its upward trajectory, with more than 7.56 million TEU containers handled, beating the previous record which dates from 2021 (7.17 million TEU containers). TMPA points out in passing that “excellent levels of productivity have been achieved during the past year and the record bar of 700,000 TEU containers handled per month has been exceeded”.
Ro-Ro traffic is on the rise. The port complex handled 459,091 TIR (international road transport) trucks in 2022, up 13% compared to 2021. This good momentum for national exports was driven mainly by the industry and agri-food sectors with growth of 22% and 11% respectively.
As for the traffic of exported vehicles, 478,589 new vehicles were handled at the two vehicle terminals of the Tanger Med port complex in 2022, up 11% compared to 2021. The traffic mainly includes 295,393 vehicles export produced by the Renault factories in Melloussa and SOMACA, and 124,112 vehicles for export produced by the Stellantis (Peugeot) factory in Kenitra.
Passenger activity resumed fully in 2022 after the health restrictions linked to Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021. A total of 2,071,504 passengers passed through the port complex during the past year.
Maritime traffic is also increasing sharply: during the year 2022, a total of 14,404 ships docked at the Tanger Med port complex, up 32% compared to 2022, including 961 mega-ships (size over 290 meters).
This growth is mainly due to the increase in productivity of container terminals for the reception and processing of mega-ships, underlines TMPA, as well as the resumption of crossings for passenger traffic, especially during the Marhaba 2022 campaign.
Finally, it should be noted that liquid bulk traffic grew by 6% compared to 2021, recording a total traffic of 9.26 million tonnes of hydrocarbons handled. Solid bulk traffic recorded a total of 404,007 tons processed, up 18% compared to last year, mainly thanks to the traffic of plate coils and cereals.
“The performances achieved in 2022 are the result of the commitment and continued collaboration of all Tanger Med partners and in particular the dealers, shipowners, as well as the administrations and authorities involved”, concludes the press release.
