First, as you have found out the border has been closed since March 2020.

Second, the info in the COVID thread here is updated faster and more accurately than the UK's FCO advise . As is the information posted on the Overland West Africa and Morocco and also the Overlanding North Africa facebook groups.

Third, most border information at the moment published by the UK FCO, embassies etc is focussed on flying in and out rather than land borders

Since the border closed, there have been 2 confirmed tourist crossings over this summer, one heading North and one heading South. The guys heading north had medical reasons, support from their embassy and a huge amount of patience, it took them 2 months to get across the border.

The people heading south got a Mauritanian national to drive their vehicle south across the border. The owners had to clear the car with customs at Guergarrat, then return to Dakhla, fly into Mauritania, then travel up to the border to process the vehicle with Mauritanian customs. Apparently it wasn't easy or cheap.

Details of both crossings can be found in the Overlanding West Africa and Morocco group on Facebook.

Shipping from Morocco to dakar is possible but you would need to go back north to Casablanca or Tanger, its unlikely this is possible from Dakhla

Nobody knows any news about when the Moroccan land borders will reopen, everyone is guessing at the moment. Next announcement from the authorities is expected in the next couple of weeks.

Personally, I would spend the time enjoying Morocco and hope for some news over the next month or so.

That’s the one we had in mind too after a long day of talking to several authorities. It involves a lot of time, risk and money though. We don’t bother about getting the car stolen too much but leaving the Country without the car as it’s not possible. We already drove to the border but are back in Dakhlar now. The border customs said that there was a Turkish dude who just managed to get through as well as a Belgium apparently a day before. (Please no blame for believing in any other I formation than calling the embassy, from the guy who answered to the thread first) as soon as we could get to Mauritania we won’t have any issues anymore because it’s easy sell or dump the car there (like Senegal) it’s just pretty much impossible here in Morocco. Right now working with the New Zealand Embassy on getting one of us the authorisation to drive it through and I could fly from Casablanca.

To anyone but Toyark, Thanks a ton for all the information!! Will keep you updated if you are interested. Any other ideas will be appreciated!!
Stay safe everybody

Leaving without the car is possible, you just need the right paperwork with customs, it used to be impossible but they have made easier over the last few years.

The problem is the car will still be in Morocco (as far as customs are concerned) and if its there more than 6months you either have to pay to import or pay a fine.

If you find someone to take the car across the border you would need to go to Guegerrat clear the car from the Moroccan customs system and then let someone drive it though no man's land to the Mauritanian Border where you meet the car to process it into Mauritania.

That sound quite straight forward, but it won't be!

Hey Warden, thanks a ton for your message!
You wouldn’t happen to have any details of this guy who paid a local to drive his car over the border? Where did you read about that? Thanks a lot in advance!

The guys name is Simon Elkjær, and he posted details in the Overlanding West Africa and Morocco group on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/overlandingwestafrica

Its by far the best group for upto date info, with several members trying to head south at the moment and also members further south posting info where possible. We've just had updates about the Morocco/Mauritania border posted today from someone in Dakhla

Thanks mate!!!
Yea we are in that group so it might’ve been us or the other guy that has left and without his car and planing on coming back in six months or maybe never. Really appreciate your help here!!

The easiest way of getting the car out of the country would be to exit at the border and then sell it to one of the many car sharks in the nomans land before the Maure border.
They wont pay much, but...
Then go back to Guergerat, reenter Morocco and find some transport northwards.

There is a workaround for the above problem, but it is cumbersome.

The workaround is to find what is called a "Customs Bonded Warehouse". These are common in first-world countries, I don't know if they are common in Morocco or not.

When you put an object into storage at a Customs Bonded Warehouse, the object is treated as if it is not in the country. If you simply want to store the object, you go through the export process when you put it into the warehouse, and you go through the import process when you take it out of the warehouse. During the time the object is stored in the warehouse, the Customs authorities of the country consider it to be "not in the country".

Customs Bonded Warehouses are normally used in one direction only, for example, someone is importing an object but is unable to clear it out of customs when it actually arrives - so it is stored "in Bond" until it is cleared into the country. Or, conversely, someone is shipping something out of the country, but the transportation out of the country won't depart immediately, so the object is cleared out, kept "in Bond" and then loaded onto the boat/plane/whatever at a later date.

Be aware it is forbidden for anyone to access the object for any reason while it is in the bonded warehouse.

Michael