Tanger Med port shipping means moving cargo through Morocco's largest container port, on the Strait of Gibraltar east of Tangier. The complex handled 10,241,392 TEU in 2024 across four container terminals, and it also has general cargo, vehicle, rail, truck and hydrocarbon terminals. This guide explains the terminals, the cargo each one takes, Moroccan customs at the port and how to ship to Tanger Med from Dubai. We ship both ways: from Dubai to Tanger Med and from Tanger Med to Dubai.
Tanger Med port at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Northern Morocco, on the Strait of Gibraltar, opposite Tarifa in Spain |
| UN/LOCODE | MAPTM |
| Managed by | Tanger Med Port Authority, part of the Tanger Med group (TMSA) |
| Area | 1,000 hectares |
| Container volume | 10,241,392 TEU in 2024 (up 18.8%); 11.1 million TEU reported for 2025 |
| Container terminals | Four: two in Tanger Med 1, two in Tanger Med 2 |
| Container berth depth | 18 m |
| Other terminals | General cargo, two vehicle terminals, rail, truck (Ro-Ro), hydrocarbons, passengers |
| Vehicles | 600,872 in 2024; car terminal capacity of one million vehicles a year |
| Trucks | 516,842 in 2024 |
| Carriers named by the port | Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd and others |
| Port community system | Online import port passage, delivery orders, payment and tracking |
| Shipping to Dubai | The shipper's declarant files the DUM export declaration in BADR; arrival at Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah |
What is Tanger Med port?
Tanger Med is a port complex built around three parts. Tanger Med 1 has two container terminals, a rail terminal, a hydrocarbon terminal, a general cargo terminal and a vehicle terminal. Tanger Med 2 has two more container terminals. The Passenger and Ro-Ro port handles ferries and trucks to Europe. The terminals are run under concession contracts by private operators, including APM Terminals and Eurogate.
Tanger Med is a large hub port, where cargo often moves between mainline ships and other services. For you as a shipper, that means two things. Tanger Med often has more sailings from the Gulf than other Moroccan ports, and your box may change ship here on its way to another port.
The port keeps growing. A November 2026 report said Morocco plans an 8 billion dirham (about USD 815 million) expansion of the complex, adding 4.5 million TEU of yearly capacity, including a new Tanger Med 3 terminal.
Tanger Med terminals and what each one handles
Container terminals
APM Terminals publishes figures for its two Tanger Med terminals. The others are run by other concession holders under the port authority.
| Terminal | Location | Key facts |
|---|---|---|
| APM Terminals Tangier | Tanger Med 1 | Opened July 2007; 1.8 million TEU a year |
| APM Terminals MedPort Tangier | Tanger Med 2 | Opened June 2019; 5.2 million TEU a year after expansions finished in December 2024; 2,000 m of quay, 5 berths; 18 m depth along 800 m and 16 m along 400 m; 90 hectare yard with 70 automated yard cranes |
| Second Tanger Med 1 terminal | Tanger Med 1 | Run by another concession holder; check the terminal on your booking |
| Second Tanger Med 2 terminal | Tanger Med 2 | Run by another concession holder; check the terminal on your booking |
Your carrier decides the terminal, not you. The terminal shows on the arrival notice, and it matters for free time, gate procedures and where your trucker collects the box.
General cargo terminal
This is where breakbulk and bulk cargo goes. The port gives it 5 hectares, a capacity of 800,000 tonnes a year, a 13.5 m draft for Panamax, Handymax and Handysize ships and three quay cranes of 100 t, 63 t and 45 t. It handled 584,945 tonnes of solid bulk in 2024.
Vehicle terminals
The two vehicle terminals handled 600,872 vehicles in 2024. The car carrier terminal can handle one million vehicles a year on 20 hectares, with direct links to 24 countries. Most of its volume is exports from the Renault and Stellantis plants in Morocco, and 27,410 vehicles were imports in 2024.
Rail, truck and hydrocarbon terminals
- Rail terminal: opened June 2009, 10 hectares, three tracks totalling 800 m, capacity of 400,000 TEU a year.
- Truck terminal: nominal capacity of 700,000 trucks, eight quay positions, 35 hectares of paved area. It handled 516,842 trucks in 2024.
- Hydrocarbon terminal: 12 hectares, 19 tanks, 532,000 cubic metres of storage for refined products.
| Cargo type | Terminal | Notes for shippers from Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| FCL and LCL containers | Container terminals in Tanger Med 1 and 2 | Carrier picks the terminal; check it on the arrival notice |
| Reefer containers | Container terminals | Confirm plug-in and monitoring with the carrier |
| Breakbulk and project cargo | General cargo terminal | 13.5 m draft, cranes up to 100 t; heavier lifts need ship's gear or a floating crane |
| Vehicles | Vehicle terminals | Ro-Ro or containerised; imports are a small share of volume |
| Dangerous goods | Container terminals | Carrier acceptance and Moroccan agent checks before sailing |
| Liquid fuels | Hydrocarbon terminal | Tanker trade, not covered by this guide |
Shipping from Dubai to Tanger Med
Which services connect Jebel Ali and Tanger Med?
Cargo from Dubai loads at Jebel Ali. Some services call both ports in one loop. In January 2024, Tanger Med announced Maersk's weekly ME2 service with a rotation of Tanger Med, Algeciras, Salalah, Jebel Ali, Mundra, Nhava Sheva and back to Tanger Med. Other carriers route Gulf cargo through a transshipment hub. Services change often, so check the current loop before you plan.
How long does shipping from Dubai to Tanger Med take?
When we checked Fluent Cargo's schedule data, the quickest Jebel Ali to Tanger Med option was 19 days 4 hours with CMA CGM and one transfer, sailing every 2 to 4 weeks. Published figures for this pair vary widely between schedule updates, so confirm the estimated arrival on your booking.
[AMIR-FACT: the carriers we actually book from Jebel Ali to Tanger Med, direct or transshipped, and our real port-to-port days in 2026]
For the full Morocco lane, including Casablanca, duty and VAT, see the route guide.
Air cargo to the north of Morocco
If the cargo is urgent, air is an option, but Tangier has few direct links from Dubai. Fluent Cargo's fastest Dubai to Tangier air option took 15 hours 38 minutes with one transfer. Many shippers fly to Casablanca instead and truck north. See our air cargo service for what we arrange.
Container, breakbulk and DG cargo at Tanger Med
Containers: FCL and LCL
FCL is the simplest way to ship to Tanger Med. The box stays sealed from Jebel Ali to the consignee's door or warehouse. LCL is possible, but it depends on a consolidator with a service to the north of Morocco, and release depends on all cargo in the box being cleared. Our guide to FCL vs LCL costs shows where the break-even point usually sits, and our sea freight service page explains what we book.
Breakbulk and project cargo
Out-of-gauge pieces on flat racks travel on container services and discharge at a container terminal. Pieces that do not fit a flat rack move on breakbulk vessels to the general cargo terminal. Its largest quay crane is 100 t, so anything heavier needs a ship with its own gear or a separate lifting plan. We collect drawings, weights and lifting points, agree lashing with the carrier and plan the UAE road move to the quay. See our break bulk and project cargo service.
Dangerous goods
DG cargo needs an IMDG declaration, a safety data sheet, UN-approved packaging and the correct UN number, class and packing group. Because many services transship, the carrier must accept the class for every leg and every port of call, not only Tanger Med. We did not find a published Tanger Med DG admission rule we could verify, so the consignee's clearing agent should confirm the port's requirements before sailing. Our dangerous goods shipping team gets carrier acceptance first.
Customs and documents at Tanger Med
Customs at Tanger Med is handled by Morocco's Administration des Douanes et Impots Indirects (ADII). The importer, usually through a Moroccan customs agent, files the unified goods declaration (DUM). The port links to customs through its port community system (PCS).
How the import port passage works
- The declarant files the online request for authorisation for import port movement on the Tanger Med PCS, with the documents the current procedure requires.
- Customs data from the DUM loads into the request automatically, and documents can be signed and uploaded electronically.
- The carrier selects the units and the haulage mode online.
- Goods selected for control are sent digitally to customs for inspection.
- The port authority sends the exit voucher to customs, and the box can leave.
The PCS also offers delivery orders, online payment and track and trace, so your consignee's agent can follow the request in real time.
Which documents does the Moroccan importer need?
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice | On the supplier's letterhead, goods described in French, HS code, value, currency, buyer address, dates as dd/mm/yyyy |
| Packing list | Weights, dimensions and marks per package |
| Bill of lading | Consignee name must match the importer |
| Import commitment | Links the import to the foreign currency payment through the Foreign Exchange Office |
| Customs declaration (DUM) | Filed by the importer's agent |
| Arab certificate of origin | Only to claim the Morocco-UAE trade agreement for UAE-origin goods |
| Conformity certificate | For products under Morocco's Verification of Conformity programme, in force since 1 February 2020 |
Duty and VAT at Tanger Med
Duty and VAT are the same as at any other Moroccan port. Most imports pay 20% VAT, with 10% for specifically designated imports. Duty depends on the HS code and origin, and you can look it up in ADII's ADIL online tariff tool. Goods of UAE origin can get preferential treatment under the Morocco-UAE free trade agreement, in force since 9 July 2003, if they travel with an Arab certificate of origin that refers to the agreement.
Free zones next to the port
The Tanger Med group develops more than 3,000 hectares of activity zones around the port, home to more than 1,500 companies. If your consignee sits in one of these zones, the customs treatment can differ from an import into the Moroccan market. Ask the consignee which status applies before you prepare the documents.
How to ship to Tanger Med port from Dubai: step by step
- Confirm with your buyer that Tanger Med is the right discharge port for the delivery address.
- Agree the Incoterm, so both sides know who books freight and who clears in Morocco. Our guide to Incoterms 2020 for sea freight explains the split.
- Check the HS code in ADIL and decide whether the goods qualify as UAE origin.
- Send us the cargo details: goods, HS codes, weights, dimensions and packing.
- We compare direct and transshipment services from Jebel Ali and book space with the carrier.
- We check the invoice wording, prepare the packing list and bill of lading data, and arrange the UAE export declaration.
- We truck the cargo to Jebel Ali, load and seal the container and send the documents to the consignee's agent before arrival.
- The agent files the DUM and the import port passage request, duty and VAT are paid, and the box leaves the port.
How to ship from Tanger Med port to Dubai
We also handle the other direction: shipping from Tanger Med to Dubai, with arrival at Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah port. We book the space with the carrier and run the UAE side. The Moroccan export papers stay with the shipper or its Moroccan agent.
The Moroccan export side
- Export declaration. Morocco uses the Declaration Unique des Marchandises (DUM). It is keyed in ADII's BADR system, then printed, signed and lodged at the customs office with the required documents.
- Who files. ADII says the declaration must be made by a customs declarant: the owner of the goods or its agent, a customs broker (transitaire) approved by ADII, or another person ADII authorises.
- Free zones. Many Tanger Med exporters work from the activity zones around the port, where the customs status differs. The shipper's agent confirms which regime applies.
- Pickup. The shipper or its trucker delivers the box to the carrier's terminal before the cut-off.
The UAE import side
For cargo landing at Jebel Ali, the import declaration goes to Dubai Customs with the commercial invoice, the packing list, the bill of lading, a certificate of origin and any permit needed for restricted goods. Customs duty is 5% of the CIF value for most goods, with 50% on alcohol and 100% on cigarettes. Import VAT is 5%, and a VAT-registered importer can account for it on its VAT return. If the goods are of Moroccan origin, ask whether the Morocco-UAE free trade agreement gives a preference in the UAE; any claim needs a certificate of origin from the shipper.
- Send us the shipper's details in Tanger Med, the cargo, the HS code, the Incoterm and the UAE delivery address.
- We book space with a carrier from its Tanger Med terminal and send the booking and cut-offs to the shipper.
- The shipper or its trucker picks up the empty, stuffs it and delivers the box to the terminal before the cut-off.
- The shipper or its approved transitaire files the export declaration in BADR.
- We check the draft bill of lading against the invoice and packing list before it is issued.
- We file the UAE customs declaration before the vessel arrives.
- We arrange payment of the duty and VAT and collect the delivery order from the line.
- We truck the box to your site and return the empty inside the free time.
[AMIR-FACT: the carriers we actually use from Tanger Med to Jebel Ali/Khalifa/Sharjah and our real transit days in this direction]
Checklist before you ship to Tanger Med
- Delivery address confirmed as closer to Tanger Med than to Casablanca.
- Invoice in French with HS codes, value and currency.
- Origin of each product confirmed; Arab certificate of origin only for UAE-origin goods.
- Importer's customs agent appointed and the import commitment ready.
- Conformity certificate arranged for regulated products.
- Free zone or Moroccan market status of the consignee confirmed.
- DG acceptance confirmed for every leg and port of call.
- Terminal and free time checked on the arrival notice.
Common mistakes when shipping to Tanger Med
| Mistake | What happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Assuming every service is direct | Longer transit and an extra handling port | Check the routing and transfers at booking |
| Wrong terminal on the delivery order | Trucker goes to the wrong gate | Read the terminal on the arrival notice |
| Claiming the trade agreement for re-exported goods | Preference refused and full duty charged | Declare the real country of manufacture |
| Heavy lift above the quay crane limit | Cargo cannot be discharged as planned | Plan ship's gear or a separate lift early |
| Late documents to the Moroccan agent | Storage and demurrage build up | Send the full set before the vessel arrives |
Storage and container charges add up fast once free time ends. Our note on demurrage and detention explains how.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Tanger Med port?
Tanger Med is on Morocco's northern coast, on the Strait of Gibraltar east of Tangier and opposite Tarifa in Spain. Its UN/LOCODE is MAPTM.
How many container terminals does Tanger Med have?
Four. Tanger Med 1 has two container terminals and Tanger Med 2 has two. APM Terminals runs one in each part, and other concession holders run the rest.
How big is Tanger Med port?
The complex covers 1,000 hectares and handled 10,241,392 TEU in 2024, up 18.8% on 2023. A November 2026 report citing the port authority put 2025 at 11.1 million TEU.
Can Tanger Med handle breakbulk and heavy lift cargo?
Yes. The general cargo terminal has a 13.5 m draft, a capacity of 800,000 tonnes a year and quay cranes of 100 t, 63 t and 45 t. Heavier pieces need a ship with its own gear or a separate lifting plan.
How long does shipping from Dubai to Tanger Med take?
Schedule data we checked showed about 19 days from Jebel Ali to Tanger Med with one transshipment. Times change with each schedule, so confirm the arrival date on your booking.
Who clears customs at Tanger Med?
Morocco's customs authority, ADII, clears the goods. The importer's customs agent files the declaration (DUM) and the import port passage request on the Tanger Med port community system.
Is there import VAT at Tanger Med?
Yes, for goods entering the Moroccan market. Most imports pay 20% VAT and some designated imports pay 10%. Goods for companies in the free zones near the port may be treated differently.
Can you ship cargo from Tanger Med to Dubai?
Yes. The shipper or its approved transitaire files the DUM export declaration in BADR. We book the space, file the UAE declaration, arrange payment of the 5% duty and 5% VAT, and deliver from Jebel Ali, Khalifa Port or Sharjah.
Ship your cargo to Tanger Med
Send us your cargo details, the delivery address in Morocco and the Incoterm, and we will come back with a routing and a price. Use our freight rate inquiry form, or contact our team to plan a breakbulk or DG shipment first.
Sources
- Tanger Med: Port complex (terminals, capacities and 2024 figures)
- Tanger Med: Port passes the 10 million container mark
- Tanger Med: Port logistics and activity zones
- Tanger Med: New weekly Maersk ME2 service (January 2024)
- Tanger Med PCS: Import port passage
- APM Terminals: MedPort Tangier and APM Terminals Tangier
- International Finance: Tanger Med 2025 volume and expansion (November 2026)
- Wikipedia: Tanger Med (location, UN/LOCODE, TMSA)
- ADII: ADIL online import tariff assistant
- International Trade Administration: Morocco import requirements and documentation
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Morocco other taxes (VAT)
- WIPO Lex: Morocco-UAE free trade agreement (dates)
- WTO RTA database: Morocco-UAE free trade agreement text
- Fluent Cargo: Dubai to Tangier schedules
- ADII: Who may make the detailed declaration
- ADII: How to make a detailed declaration (DUM, BADR)
- Dubai Customs: Submit customs declaration (documents)
- UAE Government portal: Customs duty (5% of CIF, alcohol 50%, cigarettes 100%)
- Federal Tax Authority: VAT guide (5% rate, import VAT)
Reviewed: 10 November 2026