The Port of Barcelona is Morocco's best gateway to Southern Europe

The Port of Barcelona hosted the business forum organised by the Regional Investment Council of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima to publicise the great possibilities offered by the region to business people wishing to set up in the region. Atalayar interviewed Carla Salvadó, Deputy Director General of the Commercial and Marketing Department of the Port of Barcelona, who took part in the event "Doing Business in Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region" held at the World Trade Center of the Catalan capital. 

What is your assessment of this event "Doing Business in Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region" to publicise the investment opportunities in this region? 

Without a doubt, it is a great opportunity. To begin with, it is a very positive initiative, because strengthening ties between two powerful regions such as Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima and Catalonia, which is the gateway to southern Europe, can help Morocco gain access to this continent. Any opportunity that arises to strengthen ties and analyse opportunities is welcome. Moreover, we are very grateful to be able to host this forum at the Port of Barcelona.

What prospects does the Port of Barcelona have for collaboration with Morocco and, specifically, with Tangiers-Tetouan-Al Hoceima? 

We have been collaborating with this region of Morocco for a long time. The Port of Tangier Med is, for us, a friendly port, a complementary port. We are very happy with the importance it has acquired in the Mediterranean and throughout the world. This very important positioning of the Port of Tangier Med at a logistical level has generated some very important investments, to the point that, at present, the Mediterranean cannot be understood without the Port of Tangier and the region of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima. The connection with Europe must exist and we, from the Port of Barcelona, believe that we can be twinned in some way with the Port of Tangiers to be its gateway to southern Europe and, above all, to the French market, which is so close to Barcelona.

And also in the other direction, so that Europe can enter Africa through Morocco? 

Obviously, the Tangiers-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region is one of the most booming regions in Africa at the present time, so there is trade in both directions. Moreover, in the logistics sector, we know that flows have to be balanced.

What role do the so-called motorways of the sea play for transport? Maritime transport has an advantage over land transport in that one ship can carry up to 18,000 containers, which increases the efficiency, operability and sustainability of trade. 

Absolutely; we need to promote sustainable transport. Land transport exists and will continue to exist, but we have the option of maritime transport very close at hand: from the Port of Barcelona we have a daily connection with Italy and Tangiers, and we believe it is the most sustainable option for the industry.

Do we need more and better information to avoid clichés about how the reality of Morocco is perceived in Spain and vice versa? 

I believe that we are two brotherly peoples and it is true that any communication helps us, because we must understand each other: our needs, the culture of the other country and see what we can do to strengthen ties. It is precisely for this reason, so that we can really get to know their needs better, that we set up a commercial and institutional delegate in Morocco a year ago. The aim is to strengthen ties, to see what needs exist in this Moroccan market and that we, as the Port of Barcelona, understand this and can apply the appropriate measures to provide an impeccable service to this market.

If you were addressing Moroccan businessmen or the Moroccan State, what would you tell them that the Port of Barcelona offers them to do good business? 

We offer an option for entering Europe and distributing goods throughout the Mediterranean, a sustainable option that allows you to take lorries off the road, put them on the ship and unload them here in Barcelona to send them by rail to Europe, or take the lorry from the Port of Barcelona and move it within a small radius. We believe that we are a very viable and real option in this world that is obliged to be much more sustainable.

You mentioned the Mediterranean: the strength, the growth, the stability of the Mediterranean is the stability of all of us... 

Yes, the Mediterranean is a sea with a long history, a region that has always been ahead of the curve culturally and in terms of the capacity for understanding between the peoples that live around it. Therefore, the stability of the Mediterranean is critical, not only for the Mediterranean itself, but for the world in general: we are strategically located and we must try to maintain this stability at a time like this, when it is more necessary than ever.

The development of the countries on the southern shores of the Mediterranean such as Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Libya... is in everyone's interest. 

It is true. Africa is playing an increasingly important role in the business world: Europe cannot ignore the African continent and, in the case of the Mediterranean, we cannot ignore the countries of North Africa. They have a very strong potential and Europe has to ally with them in order to be able to compete with other regions of the world that are becoming more competitive.