While global attention focuses on the conflicts in the Red Sea or the Arctic, the true arena of change for southern Europe may lie much closer: in the Strait of Gibraltar.
The South Awakens
For years, Málaga told its story in postcard tones — sun, tourism, cruise ships, gentle innovation.
But in the offices of Brussels, Rabat, and Madrid, a different narrative is being drawn: one where the city is no longer just a destination, but an energy link, a key node in an invisible network connecting Africa and Europe through green hydrogen and clean electricity.
The so-called Euro–Maghreb energy corridor is moving quickly.
While Morocco produces solar and wind energy, Spain — through REE and Enagás — is building the connections that will carry it north.
Between both shores of the Strait, a new energy geography is emerging, passing through Algeciras, Tarifa… and now, Málaga.
A City Looking Toward the Future
Málaga’s port, long accustomed to the flow of cruise ships and ferries, is preparing for another revolution: on-shore power supply (OPS).
At first glance, it might seem like a technical upgrade, but behind it lies a declaration of intent — to reduce emissions, compete with neighboring ports, and attract new “green” maritime routes.
Adding to this, though less visible, is the collaboration between the University of Málaga, the Andalusian Technology Park (PTA), and energy companies to develop digital control, traceability, and safety systems for the transport of hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol.
If the 20th century brought mass tourism, the 21st aims to capture megawatt tourism.
The New Mediterranean
The Strait of Gibraltar — traditionally a point of tension between powers — is undergoing a quiet transformation.
Ports now compete to become nodes of the energy transition: Tangier-Med rises as a North African giant; Algeciras strengthens its role as a logistics hub; and Málaga, quietly, shapes its identity as the green port of the western Mediterranean.
It is no coincidence that Brussels has included Andalusia in the maps of European hydrogen corridors (H2Med), or that the European Investment Bank is directing more funds southward.
Money follows energy, and energy — for the first time in a long while — flows through here.
The Other Side of the Transition
None of this comes without risks.
Ammonia storage projects raise questions about industrial safety; water scarcity for electrolyzers could become a bottleneck; and dependence on European funding leaves local agendas vulnerable to external timelines.
Moreover, the “green hydrogen” narrative could turn into a golden mirage if not accompanied by technical training, citizen participation, and transparency.
The transition must not become another business for a few, but a shared transformation.
What’s at Stake
Málaga now faces the opportunity to be more than a luminous postcard.
It can become the Iberian laboratory of the energy transition — a place where tourism, technology, and energy come together.
The challenge is not minor: to do so without losing identity, without selling the territory, and without sacrificing balance between development and sustainability.
Because, ultimately, what will be decided in the coming years is not only the future of a port —
but the role of southern Europe itself in the great global energy reconfiguration.
Note: ChatGPT was used to enhance the readability and clarity of this article.
Images:
Port: www.puertomalaga.com: https://www.puertomalaga.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/g6c1867.jpg”
Strait: www.twin-loc.fr from Bordeaux, France, CC BY 2.0 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0\](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0){.uri}, via Wikimedia Commons”