Essaouira port is mainly today a fishing port; it is located 360 km south of Casablanca, 173 km to the north of Agadir city. In 1765 Sultan Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdullah decided to build a shelter to become a naval base.
In 1915 a four hectare port is constructed to hold boats. Two roadblocks were set up: Western barrier length of 295 meters and 285 meters east of the barrier length. Various changes between 1924 and 1967 were to deepen the harbor entrance and enhance sidewalks and expand the main barrier to 373 meters.