Global Economy
Morocco’s Q1 2026 Port Traffic Climbs 4.3% to 63.3 Million Tonnes, Transshipment Drives Growth
Morocco’s ports processed 63.3 million tonnes of commercial traffic in Q1 2026, up 4.3% year-on-year, driven by strong growth in transshipment activity which accounted for over half of total throughput. Strategic commodity flows including grains, imported hydrocarbons and phosphates posted double-digit gains, while cruise passenger numbers surged 44.1% despite a slight dip in total passenger traffic. Coastal fishing catches fell sharply, offsetting some of the broader maritime sector gains.
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May 8, 2026
Key Q1 2026 Port Traffic Highlights
Morocco’s Ministry of Equipment and Water reported that the country’s ports processed a total of 63.3 million tonnes (MT) of commercial traffic in the first quarter of 2026, up 4.3% from 60.7 MT in the same period of 2025. Growth was driven by a 5% increase in transshipment activity, which reached 31.8 MT, outpacing the 3.5% rise in domestic traffic to 31.5 MT.
Traffic Mix and Trade Flows
Transshipment accounted for the largest share of total throughput at 50.3%, followed by imports (31.3%, 19.8 MT, +10.7% YoY), exports (15.3%, 9.7 MT, -1.9% YoY), cabotage (2.5%, 1.6 MT, -30% YoY) and bunkering of hydrocarbons (0.6%, 409,000 tonnes, +4.3% YoY) for vessels transiting the Strait of Gibraltar.
Strategic Commodity and Vehicle Traffic
Strategic cargo segments saw mixed performance in Q1 2026:
- Growth segments: Grains (2.8 MT, +33.7%), imported hydrocarbons (3.7 MT, +16.9%), coal (2.8 MT, +17%), phosphates and related products (7.3 MT, +2.8%), and new vehicle shipments (148,053 units, +8.2%).
- Declining segments: Container traffic (2.9 million TEUs, -1.9%) and international road transport (147,535 units, -5.8%).
Passenger and Fishing Activity
Total passenger traffic through Moroccan ports dipped 0.8% YoY to 718,720 travelers in Q1 2026, but cruise passenger numbers surged 44.1% to 80,209, reflecting strong recovery in leisure maritime travel. Coastal and artisanal fishing catches fell 34.3% to 89,895 tonnes, continuing a downward trend in small-scale fisheries output.