Spanish government takes control of Ceuta port to house migrants

The Spanish central government has taken control of part of the port of Ceuta to install tents for migrants who remain in the autonomous city. The new facilities could accommodate about 1,000 people, according to the report.

The Transport Ministry acted after Ceuta’s government rejected the last-minute use of two port plots. Ceuta President Juan Jesús Vivas refused to cede the land following a report by the port authority’s director that found housing migrants there “incompatible with the normal operation” of the facilities.

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incompatible with the normal operation

The port authority cited a legal provision barring occupations of public port land for buildings intended for residence or habitation. The central government argued that the plan involved only temporary tents and no construction.

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The activity in question involves a temporary occupation that is compatible with the applicable regime

Puertos del Estado later issued a report reaching the opposite conclusion. It found that the proposed activity involved a temporary occupation compatible with the legal framework. Following that report, Transport Minister Óscar Puente issued an emergency resolution under Article 73.3 of the Ports and Merchant Marine Law, taking control of the facilities so the Migration Ministry could use about 16,000 square meters of the port’s service area.

Transport Ministry sources said the measure responded to the exceptional situation in Ceuta. They said the authorized area had already been opened to the city and that the decision followed the state ports authority’s assessment of the Migration Ministry’s request.

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Given the exceptional nature of the situation in Ceuta, and in accordance with Article 73.3 of the consolidated text of the Ports and Merchant Marine Law, the Transport Ministry has taken command of the situation