Travel in hope, rather than expectation then Tim?

cheers guys,

in April 2016 I came from Algeciras to Tangier Med with Intershipping. I did not have problems with the company at all.

Arrived at noon at the Algeciras port office to buy a ticket for the 2pm sailing. Queued up, and was quite in front of the line, only to kill time and chase away the guys who want to sell you the (free!) customs temporary import declaration. Do that at home already, you need it anyway, and they quickly leave you alone when you can wave it (you have to put the port of entry, but can leave the date open). Morocco Customs D16ter form

The ship departed with approx. 45 min delay. So I agree, if you don't fancy waiting come 1 hour before schedule, IF you have a ticket. I did not have, and initially wanted to go for Transmediterranea because they were cheaper and sailed only 30 mins later, but their booth was closed and cars queued already veery long.

Lashing on the ship was poor, asked me to put bike on centerstand and tied it with a single old rope to a side railing - the worst way how you can secure a heavy Super Ténéré. But the sea was quiet.

Tanger Med was normal border crossing procedure I'd say. A bit pushy as nobody can wait, but always friendly, also from officials. Make sure you have the stamp from the officer on the ship already. At land, the police (first booth) was unoccupied, but if you pass straight to the second (customs) they can send you back no matter how long you have been waiting already. Because if you enter the first time to Morocco they take the passport number in their system first. Customs can't proceed you if your not double-sure registered through police first (at least they say...). I'm not saying you can pass police from your second arrival on. Just the above mentioned I learned this year being my first travel to the country. It took an hour in total for the border and they did not want to see inside any of my luggage, whilst the transporters and campers were searched.

Tanger town port itself I only passed later, but it appears very small and crowded, and it seems they have moved majority of incomings to the new port 50km out of town where they have lots of lanes and facilities for that now.

happy cruising

Thanks for that information. Bike and I will be crossing the Bay of Biscay, so hopefully it and the Straits of Gibraltar will be pleasant crossings!

Just recognised your forum name is of the bike I'll be taking to Morocco, mine's a 2016 model.

Nice, congrats to the decision! I have a 2013 model, also already the time I went to Morocco. As it was a major trip (actually one of my really first big ones) I was glad to had chosen for the Yamaha. It simply offered more comfort when coming down the continent on over 2.500 km motorways until Algeciras port. [Actually, I won't do that again, and either combine with more time, and riding in France, or Spain, or take a ferry from Sete or Genova, which was how I returned].

Later in Morocco, on the gravel pistes in the Atlas mountains, and the sandy bits in the near-Sahara area I wished for a lighter machine, but that's another story...

I'll be riding down from Aberdeen in the north east of Scotland via a ferry across the Bay of Biscay, so will find out how comfortable it is. An Airhawk seat cushion should help!

Tanger Med for me.......it's simple and if you are on a bike don't queue with the cars at custom.....tha police told me once to turn around in the middle of the cars and ride back against the flow and head up the left hand side to the front.....they even have a laugh with you these days.....

Seen this in the news about Ceuta:

Migrants storm border fence in Spanish enclave of Ceuta - BBC News