Opening of new 'Tanger Med' port

[Tim Cullis]

The new port of 'Tanger Mediterranean' is coming online this summer in a phased introduction. As from today, 17 May 2010, all ferries from Algeciras that previously went to 'Tanger City' will instead go to 'Tanger Med' which, seeing as it is a shorter crossing, should result in a faster transit.

Ferries from Tarifa, Sète, Barcelona and Genoa will for the moment continue to land at Tanger City, but will transfer to Tanger Med in October.



The map above shows the new ferry route in red. The road links from Tanger Med are excellent with a new motorway (shown in dark blue) connecting the port to the existing A1 motorway heading south to Rabat.

Heading east is a new four-lane highway to Fnediq (next to Ceuta) that then connects to the new motorway to Tetouan.

Tim

[Peter Girling]

That's great news!

I spoke to some of the ferry companies while I was languishing at Tanger port last month. They told my the Tanger Med port has a brand new Port Authority aiming for fast transit times, so hopefully there'll be much less hassle and hanging around.
Back to Morocco on Tuesday, so maybe through Ceuta for the last time?

Happy trails,

Jojo

[twenty4seven]

Originally Posted by Tim Cullis

Heading east is a new four-lane highway to Fnediq (next to Ceuta) that then connects to the new motorway to Tetouan.

Tim

Thanks Tim.

Just for info. The new motorway to Tetouan is a Toll road, oddly if I remember correctly its 1.6 Dh heading South and 10 Dh on the return North.

[Tim Cullis]

Yes, all motorways in Morocco are toll roads.

[DougieB]

anyone any info on this:

"Should anyone be contemplating using the ferries from southern Spain to Morocco in future you are best advised that they no longer go to Tanger Port but a new port called Tanger Med which is about 40k/25miles out of Tanger. Not much good if you are embarking late afternoon/evening and want accommodation in Tanger and are not expecting quite such a ride.

The Ferry Port is still being built, the roads and landing stages are in place as are all the Morroccan Officials even if their customs offices etc are still being built around them!

We were not warned when we bought our tickets of this situation and nor were some other Brits on the ferry. They live in Morrocco and had a van load of building materials on board and a friend at the Tanger customs to help smooth their way through. So they were also caught out!"

?

seems a bit crazy to me...

[Detourer]

I came out of Morocco a couple of days ago and drove past Larache, my usual crossing to exit/Ceuta, and onto the the new Tanger Port road as a test.

Given the previous choice of entering/exiting Morocco via the the old Tanger port or the new one, I can see no problem. The new road is superb and I expect it will stay almost empty and it will probably take less time to re-join whatever route you are then doing than going through Tanger city.

I expect the "Formalities" will continue to be a night-mare [sometimes].......So what.....Morocco!

..

[Tim Cullis]

For anyone who's interested in civil engineering and the like, there's a great thread on the new port on Skyscraper City. Post #70 on the thread shows a passenger train on the link between the passenger terminal at Tanger Med and the recently opened Tanger Ville station (in Tanger) with trains every two hours.

From 2013 the Tanger Ville station will host Morocco's first TGV links, with a target of cutting the transit time to Casablanca from nearly six hours to just over two.

Tanger City port will concentrate in future on cruise ships and the development of a marina.

I expect Tanger Med will have quite an impact on Ceuta. Ceuta is no longer the fastest crossing, especially as the Tanger Med ferries will do passport control onboard ship. On the other hand Ceuta still has cheapish fuel.

Tim

[DougieB]

Tim,

on your map, what's the yellow road (to tanger) like ? If I'm on a bicycle. Is it about 40 miles ?

cheers,

[Peter Girling]

Hi all,

Just bought Algeciras/Tanger Med tickets from Carlos for a trip in September €170 for car +2pax on open return.

Travelling Alg Ceuta today. will give update on the frontier situation and fuel prices,.

Happy trails,

Jojo

[qwer1234]

Originally Posted by Tim Cullis

For anyone who's interested in civil engineering and the like, there's a great thread on the new port on Skyscraper City. Post #70 on the thread shows a passenger train on the link between the passenger terminal at Tanger Med and the recently opened Tanger Ville station (in Tanger) with trains every two hours.

From 2013 the Tanger Ville station will host Morocco's first TGV links, with a target of cutting the transit time to Casablanca from nearly six hours to just over two.

Tanger City port will concentrate in future on cruise ships and the development of a marina.

I expect Tanger Med will have quite an impact on Ceuta. Ceuta is no longer the fastest crossing, especially as the Tanger Med ferries will do passport control onboard ship. On the other hand Ceuta still has cheapish fuel.

Tim

Not any more. The fuel prices in Ceuta are the same or even a little bit more expensive than in Morocco.

BTW, where do you do the formalities for the car if going from Algeciras to Tanger? (the green D16)

It seems that taking the boat in Ceuta is about 20 euros cheaper than in Tanger Med. (one way)

[qwer1234]

Petrol in Morocco: unleaded 95: 10,4 MAD
Diesel 50: about 7,5 MAD

[Tim Cullis]

Originally Posted by qwer1234

Not any more. The fuel prices in Ceuta are the same or even a little bit more expensive than in Morocco.

So it seems... I can't remember prices in mainland Spain but fuel prices in Ceuta (4 weeks ago) were
- Eurosuper (unleaded) €0.992 =~ 10.91dh
- Diesel plus €0.925 =~ 10.17dh

Gibraltar was cheaper.

Originally Posted by qwer1234

BTW, where do you do the formalities for the car if going from Algeciras to Tanger? (the green D16)

It will be dockside at Tanger Med.

Originally Posted by DougieB

on your map, what's the yellow road (to tanger) like ? If I'm on a bicycle. Is it about 40 miles ?

It's more like 38-40km. From memory it's an OK road, good scenery especially at the capes towards Tanger.

Tim

[Roger Bruton]

Presumably the new ferry route would be a bit cheaper?????

For my next crossing, I was hoping to do a late crossing after an all-day run down from Madrid and spend the night somewhere over in Morocco. Anyone got any handy hints for hotels near the new port???

Roger

[Tim Cullis]

It's in the middle of nowhere.

The 'Repsol Chalets' of Casa Bernado Macias at junction 116 of the A7 close to Algeciras are cheap--something like €28 for two people.

[qwer1234]

Originally Posted by Roger Bruton

Presumably the new ferry route would be a bit cheaper?????

For my next crossing, I was hoping to do a late crossing after an all-day run down from Madrid and spend the night somewhere over in Morocco. Anyone got any handy hints for hotels near the new port???

Roger

You can also try the Ibis hotel in Fnideq, but then it would be faster to go through Ceuta. Prices are European.
It seems that there is nowhere to sleep near the new port.

Also, be aware of cheap accommodation in Algeciras, as many of those places are also used as 'clubs' (whore houses - with lot's of noise).

I usually sleep in Algeciras, but only in 50€+ hotels.

BTW, looking the Transmediterranea web site it seems that one way to Tanger Med for 1 car and 1 person is about 130 euros and to Ceuta about 110.