The shipping platform

Location: The new port of Dakhla, previously known as Villa Cisneros, is situated on the E coast of the Peninsular de Rio de Oro, in the Bahia de Villa Cisneros, approx 245nm S of Gran Canaria and approx 380nm SW of the port of Tan Tan. The old port is located approx 2.5 nm along the coast to the NE. General overview: Dakhla is the capital city of Oued Eddahab province. The new port area comprises 4 berths, 1 external and 3 internal, on a 'U' shaped head, linked to the mainland at the SW end of the city by a 1nm long access road lying NW/SE. Mostly used by ocean going fishing vessels, the main cargoes are oil products, phosphates, fresh fish and fish products including frozen fish. The old port, at the NE end of the city, comprises 5 berths located within the sheltered sections of a 'U' shaped facility. Like the new port, these older berths are connected to the mainland by a road, approx 445m long. The facility is used primarily by naval craft, small fishing vessels and coastal tankers. All ports within the Western Sahara region are subject to heavy silting and regular dredging is carried out to keep ponds and access channels open. Traffic figures: Approx 250,000t handled annually. Load line zone: Tropical. Max size: LOA 100m, beam 12m, draught 5.0m.