Ferry Morocco to Gran Canaria
 

Hello all,

Does anyone know if there is still a ferry running between Agadir or Laayoune or Tafaya to the Canary Islands? It appears that services used to exist but i can't find anything online to confirm they still do.

Any help greatly appreciated!

How old are your sources? The ferry sank about 15 years ago, more or less. There was talk about reviving the service which never came to anything.

If you’ve got information that a ferry existed more recently than that, it might be worth pursuing. I’d be reluctant to get my hopes up.

G'day Markharf,

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

These are from 2023:

https://canariasacross.com/blog/dire...f-north-africa

https://theferryforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=2675

https://www.ncesc.com/how-do-you-get...anary-islands/

None seem to be particularly 'official'. So yes I have the feeling there is no service....but hope I'm wrong....

Things are moving forward with reinstating the ferry link, one condition was the old wrecked ferry was removed and that was done in 2024

Shame about the wreck removal. Made a fab background for beach photo :D

Thanks fellas. Which port had the wrecked ferry?

Tarfaya. Suspiciously short maiden voyage.
Did not know it had been removed.
It's still there on sat imagery, but that doesn't say much.

https://adventure-motorcycling.com/w...03/abr6-19.jpg

Seems I’ve fallen behind the times once again. Ah well.

One thing puzzles me: if the ferry is not yet operating—and may never operate—why are there articles linked above which talk about ferries (plural) in the present tense, as if you can take your choice among multiple offerings?

Ahhh ok thanks Chris. Well, looks like I'll be leaving the bike behind in Maroc for a few weeks if I want to see the Canaries

Or pay villains a hefty fee for a ride on an inflatable :oops2::oops2:

Sounds about as likely to ensure a safe passage as the old ferry!

the removal happened fairly fast, the wreck was there early summer but had gone when we went to Tarfaya mid November.

.
This is a never-ending story, which I have been following since November 2014, when it was first published in various media that both the Spanish and Moroccan authorities announced that by the end of that year the ferry line between the Canary Islands and Morocco, specifically between Tarfaya and Puerto del Rosario (Fuerteventura), would be resumed.

Since then, every year, literally every year, it has been said that by the end of the year, and it never happens, and every year the matter is dealt with again as if it were starting from scratch.
Crazy!

But again, one more year, the authorities of both countries assured that the line would be operational at the end of 2024.

And since a lot of progress was made in the relaunching of this line in 2024 (many details were constantly provided in this regard, including the assignment of the service to a specific ferry company), that is why the wreck of the Assalama ferry, stranded off Tarfaya since 2008, was dismantled in September 2024.

But farmers and ranchers in the Canary Islands opposed it, fearing that the entry of agricultural and livestock goods from Morocco into the Canary Islands would lead to being affected by pests and diseases.

And since then, nothing has been heard about the reopening of this line.


I attach some links about all this.

1. The wreck of the ferry “Assalama” is dismantled
https://www.puentedemando.com/el-pec...a-es-historia/

2. A Moroccan swam to the Assalama a year ago and showed what its interior looked like.
https://www.atlanticohoy.com/empresa...26272_102.html

3. The Puerto del Rosario-Tarfaya line will be operational in 2024
https://www.noticiasfuerteventura.co...a-en-este-2024

Hey Afrikiya, sounds like it's not going to happen anytime soon, or ever. Thanks for the info!

You have to ask... just how many people would use such a service on a regular basis week-in, week-out during the year, to justify the investment?

Tim, there is no need to ask anything.
Obviously, from your comment it is clear that you don't know the immense human, personal, and commercial relationship that exists between the Canary Islands and the region of Morocco and the Sahara near the islands.

And two countries constantly insist on relaunching this line for the reasons already mentioned.

But here are constant administrative, bureaucratic, obstacles, and technical problems to be solved on both sides.

Thank you for your reply, Afrikiya.

I appreciate there is trade in agricultural and other products between Canaries and Morocco, and that there are already maritime connections between Canaries (Las Palmas) and Agadir/Casablanca, however the thread is about a regular ferry service for vehicles and passengers.

What information do you have to suggest that there is sufficient demand for this to be a viable route?

There is consistent enough demand for multiple ro-ro ferry connections from mainland Spain to the Canaries, and you see foreign plated vehicles there quite a lot - particularly motorcycles and campers.

It's not controversial to think that a big chunk of the people who currently spend thousands of euros and effectively two full days at sea for that leg, would be very happy to extend their holiday by going from Tangier to Tarfaya instead...

Its not beyond reason to assume that the ferry company feels there's enough potential to make it a viable route doh

Not many, probably better if it sailed from Agadir , but it looks 3 times further away

"Spanish jobs for Spanish people, especially in the port of Cadiz?"

This year, having been on a flying visit to Tenerife (Spain) and Morocco by motorcycle, departing from Algeciras/ Spain, I think I can make the observation there might be Spanish political resistance to a port in Morocco connecting to the Canary Islands, that'd take jobs away from Spain/ Cadiz.

Based on my observations the Canaries and Morocco both have a large winter influx of European retirees in wobble boxes who seem to enjoy freecamping on carparks doh. These overwinterers are the same market niche, whether they travel mainland Spain/ Morocco or mainland Spain/ the Canaries or who would consider mainland Spain to Morocco to the Canaries.

I recon Spanish politicians and their voters would have a problem if Morocco would take jobs away from them.

You're welcome Tim.

Perhaps you did not read that:

- the first thing I mentioned was the immense personal relationship, apart from the commercial one, between the two regions,

- I also told you that two countries, and the shipping companies, have a repeated interest in relaunching this passenger and vehicle line, and also commercial, and obviously they have it because they know the potential and the existing needs in this regard,

As it seems you didn't read that, maybe that's why you kindly remember me what the thread is about.


You asked me "What information do you have to suggest that there is sufficient demand for this to be a viable route?":

- I don't suggest, it's obvious, read the previous post and what I said once again above

- I also know it for the same reason that I thought you would know it too, for having travelled for many years: for having come into contact with people from the area in Morocco and the Sahara, from knowledge of the area, of their interrelation in that sense, from what I have been told by so many Canarians living in the area of El Aaiún, Tarfaya, Boujdour, etc., as well as by people from El Aaiún, Bojador, and Tarfaya, and many other areas, living in the Canary Islands, both businessmen, with commercial relations on both sides, and individuals.

- As a former journalist, editor, I'm sure you're much more able than I am to find sources that provide you with the technical studies information you need about the demand that would make this route viable.