The progress of the work on the new marina as part of the Tanger Ville port conversion project has reached 60%, and the 1st phase of transforming the current fishing port into a marina has been more than 30% completed.

According to data from the Tanger Port Development Company (SAPT), in charge of converting the port into a leisure and cruise platform, the work for the construction of the new fishing port, backed by the Tanger Ville port on the west side, has for its part been 40% completed.

The future fishing port will provide professionals with some 1,900 linear metres of quays, 13 hectares of land, and 13 hectares of basin.

The creation of the new marina, to the east of the port, and the conversion of the current fishing port will make it possible to equip the port with 1,610 mooring points for yachts to make it one of the largest marinas in the Mediterranean basin by 2016.

Besides its maritime component, the conversion project focuses on an urban dimension, aiming to open the city of Tangier to its port and highlight a strategic zone, located between the Strait of Gibraltar, the bay of Tangier, the old Medina, and the new city.

The site will eventually offer a rich and lively water front equipped with public spaces, cultural facilities (Congress Palace, museum, multiplex), hotels, and commercial and restaurant zones.

The project also focuses on the rehabilitation of the wall and surrounding historical sites, in order to strengthen the cultural dimension of tourism in the city of the Strait.

The conversion of the Tanger Ville port will require a total investment of 7 billion DH, including 5 billion for the urban components and 2 billion for the port components.

The strengthening of the leisure dimension through this conversion project aims to allow the region to benefit from the significant growth of this sector in the Mediterranean basin, a zone that counts some 1,000 marinas, 90% of which are located in the countries of the North shore, notably Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Croatia.

These countries total a reception capacity of 350,000 berths, while the leisure boat fleet counts more than 600,000 boats, 60,000 of which cross the Strait of Gibraltar each year.