Strait of Gibraltar crossing

The Strait of Gibraltar

The Strait of Gibraltar crossing is a hypothetical bridge or tunnel spanning the Strait of Gibraltar (about 14 km or 9 miles at its narrowest point) that would connect Europe and Africa. The governments of Spain and Morocco appointed a joint committee[1] to investigate the feasibility of linking the two continents in 1979, which resulted in the much broader Euromed Transport project.[2]

In January 2021, it was reported that the United Kingdom and Morocco would discuss building the crossing between Gibraltar and Tangiers.[3] As of 2023, the completion of Morocco's first national high-speed rail line from Casablanca to Tangiers has led to renewed interest in a tunnel that would connect the line to Spain's own high-speed network, which uses the same gauge and electrification as the northern section of Morocco's Casablanca-Tangier high-speed line.[4]

Looking South from Mirador del Estrecho viewpoint in Spain overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. Pictured to the left is Ceuta and to the right (out of the picture) is Tangier.
  1. ^ "Portail national du Maroc". Archived from the original on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  2. ^ Euromed Transport project 2003 – 2009[failed verification]
  3. ^ "UK and Morocco may discuss a tunnel linking Gibraltar and Tangiers". 11 January 2021.
  4. ^ "High-speed rail tunnel to link Europe to Africa gets EU funding". The Independent. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.