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Gibraltar is a modern growing city which has all the essential services - banks, hospitals, dentists, police and consuls - available.
Gibraltar has been a maritime centre for over 3,000 years. Admiral Nelson was one of the first to see Gibraltar's potential as a naval base.
With the closure of the Royal Dockyard in 1985, Gibraltar has had to look to other sectors to continue its survival. One of the new directions is the port.
At the centre of Gibraltar's transformation from a fortified naval base to a thriving centre of trade, lies the Port of Gibraltar.
Every year more than 80,000 vessels pass through the strait of Gibraltar, making it an ideal place for stop-overs for services and provisions.
With a massive cash input from the Government, the port has managed to develop facilities for a wide variety of vessels.
The improvements are still ongoing. As a result of these improvements, the port now caters for over 5,500 ship calls a year.
The new cruise terminal caters for well over 200 cruise calls per year, very important for Gibraltar's economy.
Because of the VAT free status of Gibraltar, the port is used extensively for the handling of cargo. Gibraltar Port is also a haven for private yachts
with it's three marinas and a wide variety of services including long-stay facilities. The port is world renowned for it's shipyard facilities.
The Spanish border is open 24 hours a day for both vehicles and pedestrians. Jerez or Ronda by road takes about two hours from the border,
Seville is about three hours away. A fast sea crossing connects Gibraltar with Tangier. There are no tidal restrictions and no locks to negotiate.
Its location adjacent to the Gibraltar Straits - the western entrance to the Mediterranean - means there is negligible diversion time with ships
able to berth in about an hour. Gibraltar's position has made it a focal point for passing ships to call in for bunkers, provisions and crew changes.
The port is open 24 hours daily. The newly built Gibraltar Cruise Liner Terminal can accommodate most modern cruise ships, draught permitting,
including Cunard's Queen Elizabeth II and P&O's Oriana and is located within 20 minutes walk from the city centre.
GIBRALTAR-TANGIER ferry crossing by Ferrys Rapidos del Sur:
· Daily departures
· It takes 80 minutes with fast ferry
Getting to Gibraltar Ferry port by Rail
Although there is no railway system in Gibraltar, the neighbouring towns of San Roque and Algeciras, in Spain, are both serviced by the national
railway network of Spain (RENFE). Both towns are just a few minutes drive away from Gibraltar.
Getting to Gibraltar Ferry port by Car
If you are driving to Gibraltar from Spain, take the N340 or the A7 (Cadiz - Malaga highway) and turn off at Junction 119 into the N351 which takes
you to La Linea, the border town between Spain and Gibraltar. The border is open 24 hours a day. You can drive or walk through with no restrictions
on the number of crossings per day. Entry into Gibraltar is free. The frontier is just a five minute walk away from La Linea Bus Station.
Alternative Ferry Routes from Spain to Morocco
- Algeciras to Tanger, operated by FRS Ferries
- Tariffa to Tanger, operated by FRS Ferries
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