Strategic seaport in Gibraltar on the Bay of Gibraltar.
Gibraltar Harbour, also known as the Port of Gibraltar, is a seaport in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar on the eastern shores of the Bay of Gibraltar. Strategically important during the Napoleonic Wars, it later supplied ships sailing to India via the Suez Canal and now serves varied maritime traffic.
Gibraltar Harbour, or the Port of Gibraltar, is a seaport in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar on the eastern shores of the Bay of Gibraltar, at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea. It lies on a naturally sheltered harbour that has been developed with three breakwaters or moles: a central Detached Mole in deeper water and North and South Moles that connect to the shore. The port has long held major strategic significance. It was an important location during the Napoleonic Wars and, after 1869, became a supply point for ships travelling to India through the Suez Canal. Historically a Free Port under British rule, it evolved into a key centre of international trade and naval activity. In modern times Gibraltar Harbour functions as a multipurpose port handling cruise ships, cargo, bunkering and ship repair. In 2011 it received 10,350 ship calls. Its northern area forms the commercial harbour, the central area is a marina, and the southern part contains a shipyard and naval support facilities, including three dry docks now known as Gibdock. The Gibraltar Port Authority operates and regulates the port, maintaining safety of navigation and overseeing activities such as bunkering while promoting efficient operations for vessels using this strategically located harbour.
