The sea Mediterranean under tension
Since the beginning of the month, storms Kristine and Marta have paralysed traffic between Spain and the port of Tangier Med, one of the main hubs of the region, while a massive social movement shakes the sector, pushing the authorities to appoint mediators to defuse the crisis.
By 2 February, the port authorities of Tangier Med had alerted about major disruptions to come. Between 3 and 8 February, weather forecasts predicted extreme weather conditions in the Strait of Gibraltar, resulting in delays and cancellations of sea links. « These disturbances could affect the regularity of crossings, with risks to the safety of passengers and vessels »specified an official statement. Passengers and transport companies have had to adapt urgently, contacting the companies to obtain real-time information and avoid inconvenience.
Storms Kristine and Marta, which also hit Portugal and Spain, highlighted the vulnerability of maritime infrastructure to climatic hazards, but also their central role in the regional economy. Tangier Med, a major platform for passenger and freight transport between Europe and Africa, found itself at the heart of the crisis.
In this already tense context, a social movement emerged in the Mediterranean, led by French demands against maritime social dumping. The workers denounce the differences in conditions of employment and remuneration between companies operating in the same basin, a phenomenon aggravated by the law Le Gac, whose scope remains limited and does not cover all Mediterranean connections.
Faced with the escalation of tensions, the ministry responded by appointing two mediators, Bernard Mazuel, as well as François Lambert, Director General of the École nationale supérieure maritime (ENSM). Their mission is to conduct a consultation with all relevant actors (shipowners, trade unions, regions) to formulate concrete proposals and to ease the conflict.