Morocco is aiming to establish a new passenger and freight ferry route to Spain’s Canary Islands. The Moroccan government is actively seeking proposals from companies to manage this new transport line.
The Canary Island of Fuerteventura is located less than 100km off the Atlantic Coast of Morocco. The ferry service would leave from the remote port town of Tarfaya, which is nearly 800km south of Marrakesh. The Moroccan government envisions that this direct connection will significantly contribute to the economic and social development of the Southern Provinces of the Kingdom, enabling a smoother flow of both goods and passengers. The travel time by boat could be under two hours, thanks to recent renovations at Tarfaya’s port that now accommodates larger vessels.
Currently, sporadic flights from Royal Air Maroc and Spanish airline Binter connect several Moroccan cities to the Canary Islands; however, these flights are not available daily and primarily operate during the peak summer months of July and September. Consequently, most travelers seeking to journey between Morocco and the Canary Islands find themselves needing to connect through mainland Spain. A ferry previously served the route between Tarfaya and Fuerteventura in 2008, but sadly, it ran aground after just five months due to strong winds and was never reinstated.
As it stands, the Moroccan government is only requesting expressions of interest; thus, there is no confirmed date for when this ferry route will be operational for travelers.
In September, Morocco reopened its borders to travelers with hotel reservations, while the Canary Islands are open to EU residents and citizens from countries reporting low coronavirus cases, such as South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia. Interestingly, some of the more remote Canary Islands, like El Hierro and Isla Graciosa, have reported no coronavirus cases at all.
