The Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA) has completed its participation in Seatrade Cruise Med 2026, held on September 16 and 17 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, where it presented the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa as possible stopover destinations to shipping companies, operators, and other professionals linked to cruise itinerary planning.
This year's edition, which coincided with the 30th anniversary of Seatrade Cruise Med, brought together more than 2,000 professionals, around 180 international exhibitors, and representatives from more than 60 cruise companies, according to data released by Ports of the State. A total of 26 Spanish port authorities participated in the joint space of Ports of Spain, set up at the new Santa Catalina cruise terminal.
The representation of the Bay of Algeciras also participated in the joint presence of Suncruise Andalucía and Mar de Alborán, which attended the fair with the port authorities of Algeciras, Almería, Cádiz, Huelva, Málaga, Motril, Sevilla, and Melilla. Tourism of Andalucía also had a working space within Ports of Spain for meetings between Andalusian companies and international agents in the sector.
The APBA has focused its proposal on the position of the Strait of Gibraltar between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic and between Europe and Africa, as well as on the available port services and on the tourist offering related to heritage, nature, gastronomy, and sports activities in the Campo de Gibraltar. The delegation was accompanied by Incargo Andalucía Sur, Romeu y Cía, and Total Logistic, three companies from the port community that presented their services during professional meetings held in Las Palmas.
Among the arguments included in the promotion is the total solar eclipse on August 2, 2027. The National Geographic Institute indicates that the totality band will cross the Strait of Gibraltar from west to east and will cover almost the entire province of Cádiz, as well as Ceuta, Melilla, and part of Málaga, Granada, and Almería. The phenomenon will occur in the morning, around 10:50 AM, and Spain will be the only European country from which the totality of the eclipse can be observed.
The agenda developed during the stay in the Canary Islands also included a visit to the Port of San Sebastián de La Gomera, organized with the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The APBA learned there about the organization of cruise stopovers and different aspects of its operations with the intention of exchanging experiences that may be applicable to the development of this traffic in Tarifa.
San Sebastián de La Gomera has a consolidated cruise activity within the Atlantic itineraries. The port closed 2025 with 122,193 cruise passengers, compared to the 88,876 recorded in 2024, representing an increase of 37.49%. For the season from September 2025 to June 2026, Ports of Tenerife had scheduled 108 calls in La Gomera, including six first visits by ships.
Participation in Seatrade occurs within the strategy that the APBA has been developing to incorporate Algeciras and Tarifa into international itineraries. In the case of the port of Tarifa, its facilities currently have different docks designated for passenger traffic and with the second section of the Sagrado Corazón breakwater, measuring 78 meters in length and eight meters in draft, as part of the available port infrastructure.