The project to create a transhipment hub in Tangier dates back to the mid-1990s. Several zones were studied at the time in order to choose a location for this vast logistics project. The Mediterranean finally won through, beating the Atlantic coast. It was therefore in the Straits of Gibraltar, facing the port of Algeciras, that the Alaouite Kingdom laid the foundation stone of the port. "The Mediterranean choice is explained by its position at the crossroads between the east-west and north-south maritime routes, as well as by the king's desire to establish himself in the Euro-Mediterranean area," explains Hassan Abkari, Deputy Director General of the Tanger Med Port Authority.
In 1999, the choice for the site for Tanger Med was fixed and in 2002, King Mohammed VI laid the first stone at a ceremony to inaugurate the works. Construction of the Tanger Med 1 site began two years later, and in 2006, the first gantries were installed. Tanger Med 1's first terminal officially opened in July 2007 and the second the following year.
In 2008, work also began on the Tanger Med passenger terminal and Ro-Ro port, which adjoins Tanger Med 1. The opening took place in 2010.
In 2009, it was the turn of the industrial and logistics free zones to sprout up. A total of six logistics zones were created. The first was located behind the port. The other five, Tanger Free Zone, Tanger Automotive City, Renault Tanger Med, Tetouan Park and Tetouan Shore, gradually emerged.
In total, the industrial and logistics free zones now cover 1,600 hectares. Around 900 companies are established on the land:
These free zones still have development potential. Tanger Med Zones has commissioned several studies with a view to new openings. With an additional land reserve of 3,600 hectares, Tanger Med wants to confirm its position as the leading hub for port logistics in the Mediterranean. Projects are already underway. Last April, for example, the Japanese automotive component supplier Mitsui Kinzoku Act launched the construction of its door-locking mechanism production plant, with a total investment of €12.5 million.
Immediately after the inauguration of Tanger Med 1 terminal, King Mohammed VI requested the construction of a second container port. In 2008, the decision was made in the midst of the global economic crisis. The construction of Tanger Med 2 began in 2015.
This new infrastructure includes two terminals. The first, Terminal 4, began operations on June 28, 2019. It was licensed to APM Terminals and has a quay length of 820m which allows for a capacity of 5M TEUs. In January 2020, Terminal 3 will in turn become operational. Licensed to Marsa Maroc, it extends over 800 linear metres with a capacity of 1M TEUs. Tanger Med 2 offers a total of 1,600 linear metres of quay space and a capacity of 6M TEUs per year. The entire port complex now has a total capacity of 9M TEUs. The two terminals of Tanger Med 2 required an investment of just over €1 billion from operators. Each will have four over-Panamax gantries.
After Tanger Med 1 and 2, the special agency (TMSA) has no plans to build a third terminal. TMSA holds a stake in the future port of Nador, located on the Mediterranean, which will complete the Moroccan port offer. While Nador is expected to be mostly dedicated to bulk cargo, such as hydrocarbons, cereals and minerals, a conventional cargo terminal, including containers, is also planned with a quay length of 1,520 metres. This port should be operational in 2021.