Routes from Spain
Due to its geographical proximity to Morocco - the Strait of Gibraltar separates the two continents at its narrowest point by only around 14 kilometers - Spain is the most important starting point for ferry connections to North Africa. Several ports along the Andalusian coast as well as Barcelona offer regular connections to various Moroccan destinations.
Algeciras
The port of Algeciras (Andalusia) is one of the busiest ferry ports in Europe and the hub for ferry traffic to Morocco. There are three main connections from Algeciras:
Algeciras - Tanger-Med: This route connects Algeciras with the modern deep-sea port of Tanger-Med in Morocco. Several shipping companies (including Baleària, FRS/DFDS, Africa Morocco Link and Naviera Armas) offer numerous daily departures on this route - up to 22 crossings per day. The crossing takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on the type of ship and the weather. Tanger-Med is located approx. 45 km east of Tangier city and is connected to the city by freeway and shuttle bus - ideal for travelers with their own vehicle.
Algeciras - Tanger Med
4 Ferry CompaniesAlgeciras - Tangier city: This route leads directly to the city center of Tangier (Tanger Ville). It is operated by FRS/DFDS and offers an alternative to the Tangier-Med route for travelers who want to go directly to the city center. [Algeciras - Tanger]
Algeciras - Ceuta: This route leads to Ceuta, a Spanish exclave on the North African coast bordering Morocco. The crossing takes around 1 hour. Ferries from Baleària and FRS/DFDS operate on the Algeciras-Ceuta route all year round with frequent daily departures (up to 15 connections per day in summer). Note: From Ceuta, you cross the land border into Morocco - customs/passport controls are to be expected. This route is nevertheless attractive for many Moroccan holidaymakers to avoid waiting times in Tangier. [Algeciras - Ceuta]
Tarifa
The ferry line runs from the small port of Tarifa (Andalusia), the southernmost point of Spain, to Tangier City (Tanger Ville).
Tarifa - Tangier City: This popular fast ferry only takes around 1 hour and takes travellers directly to the city centre of Tangier. There are several departures daily (up to 8-12 connections in high season). The route is operated by Baleària and AML (Africa Morocco Link). Baleària won a 15-year concession for this route in 2025 and uses modern high-speed ferries such as the Avemar Dos and Jaume I. The ferries also carry vehicles, but many passengers on foot use this connection for day trips to Tangier, as the port is within walking distance of the old town.
Tarifa - Tanger
3 Ferry CompaniesAlmería
The port of Almería (Andalusia) offers ferry connections to the Rif region in north-eastern Morocco:
Almería - Nador: This route crosses the Alborán Sea to Nador (Beni Ensar port). The journey takes approx. 5-9 hours, depending on the shipping company and type of ship. Baleària, Naviera Armas and GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci) operate car ferries on this route, usually with daily departures. This connection is particularly popular with Moroccan travelers from the northeast (Rif area), as Nador is close to the city of Melilla.
Almeria - Nador
3 Ferry CompaniesAlmería - Melilla: The journey time on the fast ferry is about 5 hours, with conventional ferries about 6-7 hours. There are more than 7 crossings per week. The route is operated by Baleària and Armas Trasmediterránea. The ship "Volcán de Timanfaya" (Armas Trasmediterránea) has a capacity of 1,000 passengers and 300 vehicles and offers cabins, restaurants with halal options and a pool on board. This connection is particularly convenient for travelers from eastern Andalusia. Note: From Melilla there is a land border crossing to Morocco - Nador is only about 15 km away.
Almeria - Melilla
2 Ferry CompaniesMálaga
The port of Málaga (Costa del Sol, Andalusia) is the main port of departure for ferries to Melilla:
Málaga - Melilla: The journey takes about 6 hours 30 minutes. There are about 9 crossings per week, practically daily connections. The route is served by Baleària and Trasmediterránea. Baleària uses the modern ship "Rusadir" on this route - named after the Phoenician name Melillas. It has a capacity of 1,670 passengers and 261 cabins as well as environmentally friendly dual-fuel propulsion with gas. The distance is around 207 km (112 nautical miles). This connection is ideal for travelers from western Andalusia. Note: From Melilla, you can reach Morocco via a land border crossing - Nador is only around 15 km away.
Malaga - Melilla
2 Ferry CompaniesMotril
The port of Motril on the Costa Tropical (Granada) serves several ferry routes to Morocco and Melilla. The routes to Morocco mainly operate in the summer months, when demand from holidaymakers increases:
Motril - Melilla: The crossing only takes around 4 hours 30 minutes, making it the fastest connection to Melilla. The route is operated by Baleària and Armas Trasmediterránea and offers the possibility of taking your own vehicle. This route is ideal for travelers who also want to reach the Sierra Nevada or other destinations in Granada from Motril. Note: From Melilla you can reach Morocco via a land border crossing - Nador is only about 15 km away.
Motril - Melilla
2 Ferry CompaniesMotril - Nador: The shipping company Naviera Armas currently operates the route from Motril to Nador. The crossing takes around 5-8 hours (depending on the ship). In the high season, there are several departures a week (up to four per week). Outside the summer months, this connection is operated with reduced frequency or is temporarily suspended.
Motril - Nador
Motril - Al Hoceima: This route connects Motril with the port of Al Hoceïma in the Moroccan Rif region. It is operated by Naviera Armas. In summer (approx. April to September) there are around 2-4 crossings per week, with a journey time of 5 to 7 hours. Out of season there is no ferry on this route.
Motril - Al Hoceima
Motril - Tanger-Med: There is also a connection from Motril to Tanger-Med. This route is operated by Baleària and takes around 7-8 hours. This ferry usually runs once a week (mainly in the summer months). This route allows travelers from the southeast of Spain a direct connection to western Morocco without having to travel to Algeciras.
Motril - Tanger Med
Barcelona
There are also ferry connections to Morocco from Barcelona in Catalonia, mainly for travelers who prefer a long sea journey to avoid driving through Spain. The Catalonian routes are operated by the Italian shipping company Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV):
Barcelona - Tanger-Med: Several times a week (typically 2-3 departures per week in the season) GNV ferries set sail from Barcelona in the direction of Tanger-Med. The crossing takes approx. 31-37 hours (direct connection). The ships are large car ferries with cabins, restaurants and other amenities for the long journey.
Barcelona - Tanger Med
Barcelona - Nador: The Barcelona-Nador route is also offered by GNV. There are one or two departures per week, depending on the season. The journey time is around 28 to 29 hours. This connection is particularly interesting for the Moroccan community in northern and central Europe, who want to travel directly from southern France/Spain to eastern Morocco by boat without a long car journey.
Barcelona - Nador
Routes from France
France also offers ferry connections to Morocco, which is particularly attractive for travelers from central and northern Europe in order to shorten the long land journey through Spain. However, the crossings from France are significantly longer (around 38-46 hours) and usually designed as overnight ferries with cabins. Ports of departure in France are Sète (near Montpellier) and Marseille.
Sète
The port of Sète in southern France is an important hub for car ferries to Morocco. The Italian shipping company GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci) operates two routes from Sète:
Sète - Tanger-Med: This line connects Sète with the port of Tanger-Med. The journey takes around 42 hours (direct connection) or up to 49 hours with a stopover in Barcelona. In the high season there are up to daily departures, while in winter there are less frequent (sometimes weekly) departures.
Sete - Tanger Med
Sète - Nador: There is also a GNV ferry from Sète to Nador. The crossing takes approx. 38-42 hours. Here too, the frequency varies from weekly to almost daily, depending on the season. This route is a convenient option for travelers heading to northeast Morocco who want to avoid the long drive through Spain.
Sete - Nador
Marseille
Car ferries operated by the French shipping company La Méridionale run from Marseille to Morocco. Marseille offers connections to both Tangier-Med and Nador:
Marseille - Tangier-Med: La Méridionale connects Marseille with the port of Tangier-Med in Morocco all year round. The crossing takes around 39-41 hours and there are several departures per week (usually 3 per week, up to 4 at peak times). The ships - including the Massalia, which was newly launched in 2025 - are comfortably equipped, as the journey includes almost two nights on board. There are family cabins, restaurants, cinemas and prayer rooms on board.
Marseille - Tanger Med
Marseille - Nador: This route is offered seasonally from June to September/October. La Méridionale uses the ship Kalliste on this route and sails once to three times a week from Marseille to Nador. The journey time is between 39 and 46 hours. This service is suspended during the winter months. The Marseille-Nador ferry is particularly interesting for Moroccans living in France who are traveling to the Rif region.
Marseille - Nador
Routes from Italy
There are direct ferry connections to Morocco via the western Mediterranean for travelers from Italy or Eastern Europe. These routes are the longest in duration (around 50-55 hours) and are typically used by Moroccans living in Europe who take their vehicle with them, as well as tourists with plenty of time. The ports of departure in Italy are Genoa (Liguria) and Civitavecchia near Rome.
Genoa
The large port of Genoa in northern Italy is the starting point for car ferries to Morocco, operated by GNV:
Genoa - Tanger-Med: On the Genoa-Tanger-Med route, a GNV ferry usually departs once a week (sometimes twice a week during the peak travel season). The crossing takes approx. 51 hours (direct connection) or 53-54 hours with a stopover in Barcelona. Cabins, restaurants and entertainment facilities are available on board to make the journey a pleasant one. GNV also offers a Genoa-Barcelona connection (approx. 20-21 hours), which is of interest to travelers who wish to continue on to Morocco from there.
Genua - Tanger Med
Civitavecchia (Rome)
GNV also offers a connection to Morocco from the port of Civitavecchia near Rome:
Civitavecchia - Tanger-Med: This route is served approximately once a week. The journey time is approx. 51 hours (with a stopover in Barcelona) and approx. 55 hours for the return journey. The ships are fully equipped for the long journey with cabins, restaurants and other amenities. The connection from Civitavecchia is interesting for central and southern Italy, as there is no need to travel to Genoa.