The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) has awarded Terminales Marítimas del Estrecho the service contract to support the National Police in providing assistance and information to passengers at the border control of the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa, under the European Entry and Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The awarded company prevailed over four other competitors to obtain a contract lasting 36 months with an amount of 9,473,090 euros.
The service is framed within the agreement signed on June 18, 2024, between the Secretary of State for Security of the Ministry of the Interior and Ports of the State for the installation of border control equipment at the Spanish ports under state ownership. The APBA adhered to this agreement on July 29, 2024. The total investment and direct expenses of the agreement amount to 64.39 million euros (excluding VAT), with a maximum contribution from the European Union of 59.42 million euros through European funds for internal security.
The new EU Entry and Exit System (EES) is an information system that replaces the obligation to stamp the passports of nationals from third countries, electronically recording the date, time, and place of entry and exit, automatically calculating the duration of the authorized stay, and generating alerts when this has expired. For its part, the ETIAS establishes a travel authorization for nationals of third countries exempt from visas, in order to assess potential risks to security or illegal immigration.
The awarded contract includes the establishment of a team of auxiliary staff who, under the guidelines of the National Police, will assist travelers from third countries in using the automated EES equipment (automatic doors, kiosks, and tablets), manage queues for access to the automated systems, control and maintain the material resources associated with these controls, and provide special attention to passengers and their families, guiding them through the corresponding corridors and lanes. The staff must have a high level of proficiency in Spanish and French, with knowledge of English and Arabic being valued.
The particularities of the flows at the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa, especially due to the high volume of passengers and vehicles during the Operation Crossing of the Strait (OPE), determine the complexity of the service. During the 2024 OPE, the Algeciras-Tanger Med line recorded 1,528,068 passengers and 381,310 vehicles in passage regime; the Algeciras-Ceuta line counted 725,603 passengers and 175,141 vehicles; and the Tarifa-Tanger Ville line added 657,189 passengers and 107,910 vehicles. In the annual aggregate, the three lines moved a total of 5,950,048 passengers and 1,324,777 vehicles.
The Technical Specifications document establishes five service levels based on seasonality. The base level (level 1), operational year-round, requires a minimum of 12 auxiliaries per shift distributed between Algeciras and Tarifa. On critical days of the OPE (level 5), a reinforcement of up to 63 additional auxiliaries per shift is anticipated. In the port of Algeciras, the service is provided 24 hours a day throughout the year, while in Tarifa, only the three shifts are activated during the OPE period, operating the rest of the year in morning and afternoon hours.
In accordance with the agreement, once the three-year period has ended and the equipment has been transferred to the Secretary of State for Security, this will fully assume the provision of services dedicated to the automated EES control.
