Year to date · January–August 2026
5.74 million passengers
August 2026 only
1.54 million passengers
First port
4.51 million passengers
Passenger vehicles (the cars carried on ferries)
1.3 million vehicles
What the data say · August 2026
The Spanish ports on the Strait (Bahía de Algeciras, including Tarifa, and Ceuta) received 5.74 million passengers in the year to August 2026, 5.8% less than in the same period of 2025. In August alone, the figure was 1.54 million passengers, 8% less than in August 2025.
The two Spanish ports on the Strait account for 19.7% of the Spanish port system’s passenger traffic in the year to August 2026, which totalled 29.1 million passengers.
Passenger vehicles (the cars carried on ferries): 1.3 million vehicles in the year to August 2026, 6.2% less than a year earlier. Bahía de Algeciras ranks first on this measure, with 1.01 million vehicles.
Bahía de Algeciras ranks first among port authorities on the Strait with 4.51 million passengers in the year to August 2026 (3.6% less than a year earlier). It is followed by Ceuta (1.23 million).
Of the 8 months of 2026 with data, 2 are above the same month of 2025 and 6 below; over the last three months (June, July, August) the figure is down 6.9% on the same months of 2025; the largest year-on-year difference was in August (down 8%); the highest point in the series was August, at 1.54 M, and the lowest February, at 339,179.
Ranking of port authorities on the Strait · year to date 2026
Month by month · 2026 vs 2025 · Strait of Gibraltar
Full table · 2 port authorities on the Strait
| # | Port authorities on the Strait | Jan–Aug 2026 | YoY change | August | Monthly change | Share | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bahía de Algeciras | 4.51 M | −3.6% | 1.32 M | −5.5% | 78.5% | Port |
| 2 | Ceuta | 1.23 M | −13.1% | 218,871 | −20.7% | 21.5% | Port |
What this indicator measures
This page adds up passengers at the two Spanish port authorities on the Strait: Bahía de Algeciras, which includes the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa, and Ceuta. Almost all are scheduled-line passengers to Tanger Med, Tangier Ville and Ceuta. The figure soars between June and September with Operation Crossing the Strait (Operación Paso del Estrecho), when Moroccans living in Europe travel home.
Context
The Strait is Spain’s second maritime passenger corridor after the Balearic Islands and the first for international passengers. Algeciras–Tanger Med and Tarifa–Tangier Ville are the main routes; Ceuta–Algeciras is the autonomous city’s link. Gibraltar and Tanger Med, on the other shore, are not included in the Puertos del Estado statistics.
Frequently asked questions
How many passengers have crossed the Strait this year?
5.74 million passengers in the year to August 2026, 5.8% less than in the same period of 2025.
Which port on the Strait carries the most passengers?
Bahía de Algeciras, with 4.51 million passengers in the year to August 2026, 78.5% of the total.
When is this data updated?
Puertos del Estado publishes the data every month. Latest data available: August 2026.
Source
Puertos del Estado. To explore the data in detail, use PortStats · Bahía de Algeciras or see the original source.