Every summer, crossings between Spain, France or Italy and Morocco are delayed or cancelled, sometimes at the very peak of Operation Marhaba. What many travelers do not know: as soon as your ferry departs from a European Union port, Regulation (EU) No 1177/2010 on the rights of passengers traveling by sea protects you, whatever your nationality and wherever you bought the ticket. It guarantees information, assistance, the choice between refund and rerouting, and in some cases compensation. This guide gives you the concrete procedure to assert those rights with a ferry company.
Costs & fees
| Complaint to the carrier | Free | Email or letter, no filing fee |
| Referral to the national body or European Consumer Centre | Free | Out-of-court procedure, no lawyer needed |
| Possible compensation | 25% to 50% of the ticket | Depending on delay length relative to journey duration |
Timeline
Check that the regulation applies to your crossing
Regulation 1177/2010 applies if you embark in a European Union port (Algeciras, Tarifa, Motril, Almeria, Sète, Marseille, Genoa...), and also if you arrive in an EU port with a carrier established in the EU. Your nationality and the place of purchase are irrelevant. For the Morocco to Europe direction, protection depends on the carrier: keep the exact name of the company operating your vessel.
💡 Tip: The operating carrier is named on your ticket or boarding pass. That company is the responsible party under the regulation, even if you bought through an agency.
Cancellation or departure delayed by more than 90 minutes: you choose
The carrier must offer you a choice between two options. Either a ticket refund within 7 days, with free return transport to your initial departure point if needed. Or rerouting to your final destination, at no extra cost, under comparable conditions and at the earliest opportunity. The choice is yours, not the company's.
⚠️ Warning: If the company offers a crossing from another port with costs charged to you, that is not compliant rerouting: rerouting must come at no extra cost. Keep receipts for any imposed expenses.
Claim assistance while you wait
For a departure cancelled or delayed by more than 90 minutes, the carrier must offer snacks and meals in reasonable proportion to the waiting time. If a stay of one or more nights becomes necessary, it must offer accommodation on board or ashore, capped at 3 nights and 80 euros per night, plus transport between the port and the accommodation.
💡 Tip: If no assistance is provided on site, pay for reasonable meals and lodging yourself and keep every receipt: you will attach them to your complaint.
Work out your compensation for a delayed arrival
On top of refund or rerouting, a delayed arrival opens a right to compensation: 25% of the ticket price for a delay of at least 1 hour on a journey of up to 4 hours, at least 2 hours on a 4 to 8 hour journey, at least 3 hours on an 8 to 24 hour journey, or at least 6 hours beyond that. Compensation rises to 50% of the ticket when the delay reaches double those thresholds. It is not due when the delay is caused by weather conditions endangering the safe operation of the ship or by extraordinary circumstances.
💡 Tip: An Algeciras-Tanger Med crossing takes about 1h30: a 1 hour delay at arrival already opens a right to 25% of the ticket, and 2 hours to 50%.
Send your written complaint within 2 months
Send the carrier a written complaint (email or tracked letter) within 2 months of the scheduled travel date. State the crossing, the booking reference, what happened, what you are claiming, and attach tickets, evidence and receipts. The carrier must acknowledge receipt and give you a final reply at the latest two months after receiving the complaint.
⚠️ Warning: Past the 2 month deadline after the trip, the company can legitimately reject the claim. Do not wait, even if you are still on holiday: a single detailed email is enough to preserve your rights.
Escalate if the reply does not come or does not satisfy you
Each EU country has designated a national enforcement body for the regulation: for a departure from Spain, the complaint falls to the Spanish authorities, for France to the DGCCRF. The European Consumer Centres network assists cross-border disputes free of charge. You can also act through the booking platform if you purchased through one.
💡 Tip: From Morocco or from your country of residence, everything can be done online: the national body's form of the departure country, with your complete file attached.
In depth
Regulation 1177/2010 is the maritime counterpart of the well-known air passenger Regulation 261/2004, with thresholds of its own. Three points deserve MRE travelers' attention.
First, the scope on the return leg: departing from Morocco to Europe, the regulation applies when the service is performed by a carrier established in the European Union. Several companies operating the Strait and western Mediterranean routes fall into that category, hence the importance of identifying the operating carrier on your ticket.
Second, the accommodation cap: the 80 euros per night and 3 nights ceiling concerns the assistance owed by the carrier during the wait. If you incur higher reasonable costs because no assistance was offered, mention them in the complaint with receipts.
Finally, how this combines with your insurance: premium bank cards and travel insurance often cover losses the regulation does not compensate, such as a non-refundable hotel night in Morocco or a lost car rental. The two claims stack: complaint to the carrier for the ticket and compensation, declaration to your insurer for related losses. During Operation Marhaba, also keep in mind that access to the Tanger Med port now requires a confirmed ticket: after any rerouting, get the new crossing date and time confirmed in writing.
❌ Common mistakes to avoid
- ✕Throwing away the ticket, boarding pass or expense receipts: without evidence, the claim loses most of its force.
- ✕Missing the 2 month deadline after the trip for the written complaint to the carrier.
- ✕Confusing the ticket refund (immediate right upon cancellation) with delay compensation (an additional right, subject to thresholds).
- ✕Accepting rerouting with a surcharge: it must be free of charge and under comparable conditions.
- ✕Complaining only by phone: only a dated written complaint starts the clock and leaves a trail.
- ✕Giving up because the company invokes the weather: even in extraordinary circumstances, the refund or rerouting choice and the duty of assistance remain due.
🔗 Official links and resources
Regulation (EU) No 1177/2010
The full text of the maritime passenger rights regulation
Your Europe: ship passenger rights
The European Commission's official guidance with practical cases
DGCCRF: traveling by boat
The French practical factsheet, useful for departures from Sète or Marseille
European Consumer Centre France
Free assistance for cross-border disputes within the EU
❓ Frequently asked questions
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