Inetum Espana has been selected to deliver Entry/Exit System (EES) infrastructure for passenger terminals at the ports of Algeciras and Tarifa, according to local reporting tied to the Autoridad Portuaria de la Bahia de Algeciras. The deployment supports the European Union’s EES program for non-EU travelers and will equip the ports with biometric capture and verification workflows linked to Spain’s national border control systems.
Coverage describes a phased rollout in which Phase 1, budgeted at roughly 3.2 million euros, covers equipment supply, three years of maintenance, and staff training to support Spain’s National Police during initial operations. The package includes self-service kiosks, automated e-gates, assisted control booths, supervisory tablets, CCTV, and digital signage. The infrastructure is intended to support both biometric enrollment and verification as passengers enter or exit the Schengen area.
Reports note that the procurement includes auxiliary staff training and operational support to help border officers manage the new equipment during the transition. Supervisory tablets and CCTV are intended to give staff visibility into passenger flows and gate status, while digital signage supports wayfinding as the ports introduce new processing steps for travelers.
Phase 2 is referenced as a separate pending procurement valued around 10.8 million euros, with a focus on extended passenger-support staff and multi-year operations coverage. Local reports indicate that EU co-financing through a border-management and visa instrument will cover 75 percent of capital investment and full operating expenditure, aligning the project with broader EU funding patterns for border modernization.
Ports face different operational challenges than airports, particularly in ferry-heavy environments with variable passenger flows. The reporting notes that the Algeciras and Tarifa deployments will combine fixed and modular equipment to handle maritime traffic to North Africa, which often includes large groups arriving in short windows. By integrating EES capabilities into these environments, Spanish authorities aim to align port processing with the standards being introduced across Schengen air and land crossings.
Inetum’s role reinforces its position as a systems integrator in European biometric border initiatives, which include broader efforts around biometric enrollment and coordinated modernization across member states. The reports expect the new controls to be operational before the summer 2026 travel season, adding two high-volume ports to Spain’s network of EES-ready border points.
Sources: Europa Sur, Cadena SER, Diario del Puerto
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By Cass Kennedy
