Port Poole (Dorset England) confirmed that a new company planned to open a direct link UK-Morocco. The once-per-week crossing from Tanger Med Port (Tangier) will utilize a Ro-Ro freight ferry. The new route is expected to slash the current crossing time from Morocco to the UK to less than 3 days.
The new ferry company United Seaways stated that the service currently stakes 6+ days. The new service will remove the need for 2 separate ferry crossings to be undertaken in each of the directions.
No firm date has been been given yet for when the new UK-Morocco ferry services will start. United Seaways believes that the new service will be attractive to companies importing fresh produce. Additional checks on imports from the EU are due to be introduced from July.
The UK already has a trade deal with Morocco which removes the need for additional checks on direct shipments.
Importers using the direct ferry route from Morocco could cut out a road trip through Spain and France upwards of 2000 km including ferries from Morocco to Spain and from Spain and France to the UK.
In addition to reducing the emissions footprint of fresh produce transport, the direct ferry service could also see a reduction in driver and vehicle maintenance costs.