Economy30 OCT2 min read

Tanger Med Expands: A Target of 20 Million Containers

An 8 billion dirham terminal operated by Maersk, a target of 20 million containers a year: how the expansion of Tanger Med strengthens Tangier, and what it means for anyone buying or investing in the city.

A new phase for Tanger Med

On 28 October 2026, at a working session chaired by King Mohammed VI, Morocco presented Tanger Med 3: a new container terminal that takes the port complex to another scale. Construction starts at the end of October.

It continues a story that began in 2007. In less than twenty years Tanger Med has gone from a project on paper to the leading container port in the Mediterranean, around forty kilometres from Tangier.

investment: 8 bn MAD; investment
new capacity per year: +4.5 m TEU; new capacity per year
start of operations: 2031; start of operations
target for the next decade: 20 m TEU; target for the next decade

Ship-to-shore cranes at Tanger Med · NAC, CC BY-SA 4.0

Tanger Med 3 in figures

The new terminal represents an investment of around 8 billion dirhams, more than 700 million euros, and will add capacity for around 4.5 million containers (TEU) a year.

The concession has been awarded to Maersk and its subsidiary APM Terminals, among the largest maritime operators in the world and already present at Tanger Med. Operations are scheduled to begin in mid-2031.

A Maersk container ship calling at Tanger Med · Bertrand Soubeyrand, CC BY-SA 4.0

Towards 20 million containers

In 2025 Tanger Med handled more than 11.1 million TEU, up 8.4% on the previous year. With Tanger Med 3 and the expansion of the existing terminals, the goal is to approach 20 million TEU a year over the next decade.

At that level Tanger Med would firmly join the group of major global hubs, on the route that links Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Containers waiting to be loaded · NAC, CC BY-SA 4.0

From the port to the city

Around the port, an industrial and logistics ecosystem has grown that hosts international companies from the automotive industry to distribution. Each new phase brings investment, jobs and professionals, managers, engineers and technicians, many of whom choose to live in Tangier.

For the property market this means steady demand for quality apartments, both to buy and to rent for the medium and long term, in well-connected neighbourhoods close to services. As with any investment, what matters is the location, the build quality and the reliability of the developer.

The Tanger Med complex on the Strait of Gibraltar · Adam Cli, CC BY-SA 4.0

Tangier, a city looking ahead

Tanger Med 3 adds to a transformation already under way: the Al Boraq high-speed train, the new waterfront, the Grand Stade ahead of the 2030 World Cup. A few kilometres from Europe, Tangier is consolidating its role as a major international city.

Elammari builds in Tangier because it believes in this direction: contemporary residences, designed with European experience and attention to detail. Explore the available residences or contact the team for plans, availability and prices.