Official: Migrant camp could cost Port of Ceuta up to €600 million

A prolonged migrant camp on the grounds of the Port of Ceuta could cause losses of up to €600 million if it remains in place through 2027, the head of the Spanish autonomous city’s port administration, Juan Manuel Doncel, has warned.

“If the operation of the Port of Ceuta stops or is reduced, we are talking about significant losses that can be estimated at around €147 million, and that is a very serious figure,” Doncel said in an interview with 20 Minutos.

He added that the potential losses could reach €600 million if the tent camp for migrants remains at the port until 2027.

Doncel said the migration crisis was already affecting the port’s operations, pointing to a decline in the number of cruise ships arriving in Ceuta.

He also criticised the lack of information provided by the government regarding the planned camp, saying port authorities had not been informed about security measures, the precise dates for migrants’ arrival, who would be responsible for managing the facility or the documents underpinning its establishment.

“We know absolutely nothing; we are waiting for answers,” Doncel said.

The concerns come after a major migration incident in late July, when tens of thousands of irregular migrants reached Ceuta by swimming and wading around the breakwater separating the Spanish enclave from Morocco.

In response to the crisis, Madrid decided to deploy military personnel to assist with security in the city. Local authorities estimated that up to 80,000 people may have entered Ceuta, although the overwhelming majority are believed to have since returned to Morocco.

By Tamilla Hasanova