A port steeped in mythology
At the northern tip of Africa, Tangier marks the end of one world and the beginning of a new one. The city acts as a veritable link between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, between Europe and Africa. Its strategic position at the crossroads of the world has shaped its eventful history, subjected it to all manner of civilizational influences, and shaped its open-mindedness. Between land and sea, the city's origins lie in the great mythological tales. Tangier is said to be the first land discovered by Noah after the Flood. On seeing the shore of this languid bay between Cape Spartel and Cape Malabata, the patriarch is said to have exclaimed "Tine ja" - the land has come! The Greeks also claimed the city as their own. The giant Antaeus, son of Poseidon (god of the sea) and Gaia (goddess of the earth), founded the city as a tribute to his wife Tingis. This cruel titan challenged all travellers passing through to a fight. Always victorious, he killed his opponents and took their skulls as trophies. Until Heracles, the man of twelve labors, won the challenge on his way to the Garden of the Hesperides. Antaeus is said to rest at the Cromlech de M'soura, the astonishing megalithic site on the outskirts of Asilah. More prosaically, it would appear that the town was founded by the Phoenicians, that great people of navigators and merchants. Two small necropolises dating back to the 4th century BC, facing the sea, bear witness to their presence. At that time, the Phoenicians were coasting across the Mediterranean, setting up trading posts in all four corners of the basin. Skilful sailors, they were the only ones who dared to cross the terrible Columns of Hercules that marked the Strait of Gibraltar. Tingi became an almost obligatory stopover for those setting out to explore Africa by sea or to supply its trading posts on the Moroccan coast. The Carthaginian Hannon recounted his venture as far as Cameroon around 500 BC, before turning back. There is a Greek version of the "Narrative of the voyage of the Carthaginian king Hannon around the lands beyond the Columns of Hercules". If the Carthaginians didn't yet possess a sense of title, they had enough courage and seamanship to undertake risky explorations. Tangier's fate was closely linked to that of the superpowers that clashed around the Mediterranean basin. The Romans succeeded the Carthaginians in the 2nd century BC, and the Arabs conquered North Africa nine centuries later. Tangier passed into Berber hands. By the 14th century, Tangier was one of the major trading ports in the western Mediterranean, alongside Barcelona, Genoa, Venice and Marseille. The city exported leather goods, wool, carpets and, above all, sugar, which at the time was traded on a par with marble. Tangier aroused the envy of the Portuguese, who seized it in the 15th century. Although they decided to fortify the city to better defend themselves, they did not develop the port, which at the time was little more than a quay for barques and shallow-draft boats. Larger ships anchored offshore.
The birth of the port of Tangier
It wasn't until the arrival of the English that Tangier became a true port city. On June 23, 1661, the Infante de Bragance married King Charles II of England. Her dowry included the city of Tangier. This peaceful takeover did not prevent the English from sacking the city when they landed in 1662. They drove the Portuguese out of the city and destroyed its religious buildings. Catholic churches became Anglican, fortifications were reinforced and, above all, a long breakwater was built in the harbor. Charles II wanted Tangier to become "the King's most important place in the world". The 225-meter-long pier made it easier for ships to dock, and laid the foundations for a port designed to attract international trade. A charter granting all privileges to the city reinforced this desire for commercial development. Tangier enjoyed total freedom of trade, religion and immigration. By 1668, the city had a population of 3,000, half of whom were soldiers. But poor administration and constant Arab attacks thwarted British dreams of commercial domination of the Mediterranean basin. In 1684, the English wearily fled the city, taking care to undermine the fortifications and the breakwater. The capture of Tangier by the Alaouites plunged the city into a deep slumber until the 20th century. In 1897, Tangier's very first wooden landing stage was built. This innovation boosted freight and passenger traffic. A few years later, the port was equipped with a jetty for smaller craft. This 340-meter-long jetty created a basin protected from the northwest swell. In 1921, a concession was granted to a company in charge of building, operating and developing the port. The momentum was set in motion and the port of Tangier grew. In particular, the Société du Port de Tanger built a breakwater, an intermediate crossbeam and a quay which served as a coal storage area for steamships. Trade, freight and passenger traffic grew steadily. By the end of the 20th century, the port of Tangier-City had outgrown its space. A new commercial port, Tangier Med, was established 40 km to the east, at the gateway to Ceuta. The port of Tangier-City benefits from a new development plan in 2010. It aims to make Tangier a leading Mediterranean port for cruise tourism and yachting.
The Tanja Marina Bay International project
It took 10 years to give Tangier a new harbour face. Artificial islets were used to create two basins to house pleasure boats. The marina now offers a full range of services for yachtsmen, including deck fittings, winter storage, careening and repairs, as well as an entertainment zone with bars and restaurants. A cruise dock enables huge liners to set sail. This is also where ferries to and from Tarifa, Barcelona, Genoa and Sète dock. As a result, the former ferry terminal has been completely redesigned. It includes customs and immigration services, a duty-free area and reception halls for cruise and ferry passengers. The Moroccan government has clearly understood that making Tangier an attractive tourist destination requires more than just modernized reception facilities. The city has undergone a facelift, with the fortifications and gates renovated, as well as the public spaces between the port and the kasbah. The bastions, terraces and staircases of the old city wall have become popular strolling spots for Tangier residents at the end of the day. Finally, Tangier would be deprived of part of its identity without its fishing port. This too has been completely refurbished. Equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure and equipment, it now meets the specific needs of each fishing industry: small-scale, coastal and deep-sea. An ice factory and cold storage facilities preserve offloads before they are transported to the wholesale fish market inaugurated in October 2020. In total, the Port of Tangier covers an area of 160 hectares, including 76 hectares of docks. Passenger traffic increased by 48% between 2012 and 2019, suggesting that the redevelopment of the port of Tangier-City was necessary.
Tangier Med, the port giant
Founded by the Phoenicians, a people of great navigators and merchants, Tangier, which dates back thousands of years, has never lost sight of its commercial destiny. In 2007, the city built a new industrial port at the gateway to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where the Strait of Gibraltar narrows. The port is ideally located on the shipping route between Asia, Europe and North America. Expanded in 2019, this gigantic port occupies 1,000 hectares and can accommodate and handle 9 million containers a year. In addition to the 4 container terminals, 8 berths can handle up to 7 million passengers a year. With connections to Algesiras, the Balearic Islands, Savona (Italy) and Gibraltar, the ferry port is currently only operating at 10% capacity. A train station linked to Tangier enables passengers to reach the city in less than an hour, and a direct bus service ensures that the flow of passengers is kept to a minimum. Dedicated services accompany passenger handling: police and customs, stores, catering, infirmary and hotel. To ensure a high volume of traffic, the port of Tangier has succeeded in attracting 1,000 companies to its fold by creating a free zone. Operating in a wide range of industrial sectors, including automotive, textiles, agri-food, logistics and aeronautics, Tangier Med handles an annual business volume of 8 billion euros. Renault chose the Tangier region to inaugurate a production plant in 2012. Its assembly line produces over 300,000 vehicles a year for export. Africa's largest car manufacturing plant has attracted a large number of subcontractors in its wake. As a result, the port of Tangier has become a major hub for the automotive industry. As a result, the port has set up a storage area for 1 million vehicles a year. More than a port, Tanger Med is conceived as an industrial project designed to ensure the economic development of northern Morocco. Other major European industrial groups have joined the fray, including Fiat, Bosch, Siemens and Decathlon. The Moroccan government has thus created Africa's largest port around two strategic axes: a transit and supply haven on the Asia-America route, and an export zone for manufactured goods and agri-foodstuffs to Europe. The Tangier Med port was inaugurated with great fanfare by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan in June 2019.
By rethinking and renewing its entire port infrastructure, Tangier is perpetuating its tradition as a city open to the sea and the world, and projecting its commercial ambitions far beyond the Mediterranean basin. As the gateway to Africa, the city is also the ambassador of a Morocco that looks to the future and to modernity, yet knows how to make the most of its heritage and character.
