Compounding the maritime chaos caused by Storm Ingrid, the Bay of Algeciras Port Authority (APBA) announced that, as of 18:00 on 26 January, no additional heavy-goods vehicles will be allowed to enter the port complex until ferry traffic resumes. All available parking bays and overflow lanes are now occupied by an estimated 3,000 lorries waiting for a sailing slot to North Africa.
The temporary closure affects all road entrances to Spain’s busiest cargo port and has prompted regional police to divert inbound trucks to designated service-area holding points along the A-7 and A-381 motorways. Logistics operators report knock-on delays for just-in-time supply chains serving Moroccan factories as well as Spanish exporters shipping fresh produce southbound.
![Algeciras Port Closes Gates to Trucks as Parking Areas Reach Capacity]()
APBA officials stressed that the measure is purely operational and will be lifted “as soon as sea conditions permit a safe resumption of services.” Nevertheless, freight forwarders warn that the backlog could take 48–72 hours to clear once ferries restart, urging shippers to activate contingency plans, reroute via Málaga or Motril, or shift urgent loads to unaccompanied container services.
If diverted routings or re-scheduled crew rotations mean travellers suddenly need Schengen or Moroccan visas, VisaHQ can expedite the paperwork online, handling everything from Spanish multiple-entry permits to transit clearances for North Africa. Their team manages the bureaucracy so logistics planners can stay focused on weather windows and cargo priorities—learn more at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
The incident underscores the vulnerability of land-bridge logistics between Europe and Africa to extreme weather events, a risk factor global-mobility programmes must consider when scheduling assignee relocations or time-critical project travel through the Strait.
The temporary closure affects all road entrances to Spain’s busiest cargo port and has prompted regional police to divert inbound trucks to designated service-area holding points along the A-7 and A-381 motorways. Logistics operators report knock-on delays for just-in-time supply chains serving Moroccan factories as well as Spanish exporters shipping fresh produce southbound.
APBA officials stressed that the measure is purely operational and will be lifted “as soon as sea conditions permit a safe resumption of services.” Nevertheless, freight forwarders warn that the backlog could take 48–72 hours to clear once ferries restart, urging shippers to activate contingency plans, reroute via Málaga or Motril, or shift urgent loads to unaccompanied container services.
If diverted routings or re-scheduled crew rotations mean travellers suddenly need Schengen or Moroccan visas, VisaHQ can expedite the paperwork online, handling everything from Spanish multiple-entry permits to transit clearances for North Africa. Their team manages the bureaucracy so logistics planners can stay focused on weather windows and cargo priorities—learn more at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
The incident underscores the vulnerability of land-bridge logistics between Europe and Africa to extreme weather events, a risk factor global-mobility programmes must consider when scheduling assignee relocations or time-critical project travel through the Strait.
