Gibraltar has been a maritime centre for over 3,000 years. Admiral Nelson was one of the first to see Gibraltar's potential as a naval base. With the closure of the Royal Dockyard in 1985, Gibraltar has had to look to other sectors to continue its survival. One of the new directions is the port.

At the centre of Gibraltar's transformation from a fortified naval base to a thriving centre of trade, lies the Port of Gibraltar. Every year more than 80,000 vessels pass through the strait of Gibraltar, making it an ideal place for stop-overs for services and provisions. With a massive cash input from the Government, the port has managed to develop facilities for a wide variety of vessels. The improvements are still ongoing. As a result of these improvements, the port now caters for over 5,500 ship calls a year. The new cruise terminal caters for well over 200 cruise calls per year, very important for Gibraltar's economy.

Because of the VAT free status of Gibraltar, the port is used extensively for the handling of cargo.

Gibraltar Port is also a haven for private yachts with its three marinas and a wide variety of services including long-stay facilities. The port is world renowned for its shipyard facilities.

Port details
The port is located at the entrance to the Mediterranean in position Lat 36o08oN Long 5o22"W. Documents required on entering the port are, three crew/passenger lists, Maritime declaration of health, ship's register, loadline certificate, de-ratting certificate,crew agreement and Insurance certificate concerning liability for oil polution. Pilotage is compulsory on arrival for berthing, unberthing and shifting anchorage. Vessels at anchor may leave without pilot.

The port is quite unique in the variety of facilities that are available including all dry dock repairs, berthing for any manner of vessel including cruise liners, massive bunkering facilities for oil and because of its tax status, all spare parts are flown in and supplied tax-free.