The president of the Port Authority of Almería (APA), Rosario Soto, visited the Port of Algeciras to learn on site about the implementation of the European Entry and Exit System (EES), whose full operation at the Port of Almería is expected in the coming months.
The visit took place less than a week before the conclusion of the Operation Crossing of the Strait (OPE) 2026 and included a meeting between Soto and the president of the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras (APBA), Gerardo Landaluce. During the meeting, both port authorities analyzed the development of this year's campaign and the actions related to the implementation of the new European system of external border control.
Almería occupies the second position among Spanish ports for passenger movement during the OPE, behind Algeciras. This operation constitutes the largest seasonal movement of travelers in Europe and concentrates a high volume of passengers and vehicles every summer between the European continent and North Africa.
The Almerian delegation has also included the head of the Operations and Business Development Department of the APA, Borja Fernández-Pacheco, and the head of Port Police, José Miguel López. The authorities of the Port of Almería have learned during their stay in Algeciras about different services related to the attention and management of passengers, with a view to studying their possible application or expansion in the facilities in Almería.
The Port of Algeciras concentrates the largest volume of passengers from the Operation Crossing of the Strait and has regular maritime connections with Tangier Med and Ceuta. These routes are supplemented by the line between Tarifa, a port also managed by the APBA, and Tangier Ville.
The Port of Almería, for its part, maintains regular connections with Melilla and other ports in North Africa. Its lines connect with Nador in Morocco, and with Oran and Ghazaouet in Algeria, forming a maritime transport offer for passengers that becomes particularly intense during the months corresponding to the OPE.
During the institutional visit, Gerardo Landaluce and the general director of the APBA, José Luis Hormaechea, presented to the Almerian delegation the main projects currently being developed by the Port of Algeciras. The tour also included the port facilities and its two container terminals.
The visit has also allowed discussing the experience gained in Algeciras with the European Entry and Exit System, an infrastructure that directly affects the procedures for controlling passengers from third countries at the external borders of the European Union.
The EES is an automated computer system intended for registering the entries and exits of nationals from third countries when they cross the external borders of the member states in which it applies. Its operation involves altering current border control procedures and requires adapting facilities, equipment, and processes associated with international passenger transit.
The system centralizes biometric information, including fingerprints and facial data, along with personal data related to the traveler's identification. These include name, passport information, and the date and place of entry or exit from European territory.
The EES also allows generating alerts directed to the member states and gradually replaces the physical stamping of passports with a digital record. The implementation of this model has a significant impact on ports that maintain regular connections with countries outside the European Union and that register high volumes of passengers.
In this context, the experience of Algeciras serves as a reference for Almería due to the characteristics of its traffic. Both ports participate directly in the OPE and manage traveler flows that cross the external European border through maritime connections with North Africa.
The implementation of the EES at the Port of Almería, like at the Port of Algeciras, has funding from the European Union through the Financial Support Instrument for Border Management and Visa Policy (IGFV), corresponding to the 2021-2027 financial framework.
The operationalization of the system will require integrating the new identification and registration procedures into the regular operations of passengers at the Almerian port. The visit to Algeciras is thus part of the preparatory work of the APA ahead of the upcoming full application of the EES in its facilities.