The Port of Ceuta, much more than just a strategic point

The Port of Ceuta is one of the great maritime gems of the Mediterranean. Located on the African mainland it stands out in terms of passenger and vehicle traffic, liquid bulk, merchandise and fuel supply for vessels. Its history goes back more than 150 years, when more ambitious construction work began near what had previously been nothing but simple piers. The Port of Ceuta has undergone a great transformation since then, always with an eye towards improving, opening up new business opportunities, enhancing customer experience and responding to environmental challenges (it started marketing low sulphur marine fuels some months before the date established by the IMO 2020, for example). Our shipping agency in Ceuta, founded by Mr José Salama in the 19th century, has followed this transformation closely. We offer services such as refuelling, boat provisioning, spare parts, crew changes, off-port limit stopovers in Ceuta, etc.

The Ceuta enclave is characterised by its two seawalls: the Muelle de Poniente, 1,500 metres long, and the Muelle de Levante, 500 metres long. Added to the above two are two interior main quays: the Muelle Dato with the Maritime Station, and the Muelle de España with its control tower. The port also has fishing docks, a marina and a dry-dock.

As for the port services on offer, it is an exhaustive list. Some of the technical and commercial services found in the Port of Ceuta are the following:

• Mooring and towing service

• Pilotage service

• Reception of waste generated by vessels

• Supply service and delivery service

• Fuel supply service

• Reception of oil cargo residue and collection of recyclable waste

• Water supply service for vessels

• Ship consignment service

• Internet provision service for vessels

• Bunkering service

• Merchandise storage and loading and unloading service

The Port of Ceuta in numbers

According to the latest General Summary of Port Traffic issued by the State Ports (Ministry of Development), Spanish traffic during the first ten months in 2019 amounted to 476,493,760 tonnes, 1.65% more than in 2018. As for Ceuta, the figure was 2,122,497 tonnes, which represented an increase of 3.14% compared to the same period last year.

By category, the report presented the following data for the Port of Ceuta during the period January to October:

• Goods: 1,462,403 tonnes

• Liquid bulk: 717,567 tonnes

• Solid bulk: 23,224 tonnes

• General merchandise: 721,612 tonnes

• Container goods: 99,682 tonnes

• Fishing: 11 tonnes

• Provisioning: 660,083 tonnes (7.38%)

• Provisioning of liquid fuel: 642,546 tonnes

• Goods in transit: 184 tonnes

• Container goods in transit: 49 tonnes

• Roll on-roll-off traffic (RO-RO):  719,517 tonnes

• RO-RO traffic with trailers, semi-trailers and platforms: 20,814

• TEU-containers: 9,486

• Passengers in transport and on cruise ships: 1,805,094 people

• Cruise passengers: 9,374 people

• Passenger cars: 384,564 vehicles

• Cars, buses and trucks used for transport of goods: 1,185 vehicles

• Merchant ships: 9,293 vessels

• Cruise ships: 7 vessels