# Laayoune (MA EUN)

**UN/LOCODE:** MA EUN  
**Country:** Western Sahara  
**Water Body:** North Atlantic Ocean  
**Harbor Size:** Very Small  
**Harbor Type:** Coastal (Natural)  
**GPS:** 27.0833, -13.4333

One of the world's longest conveyor belts — running roughly 100 km from the Bou Craa mine and rated at up to 2,000 tonnes per hour — feeds the port of Laayoune (UN/LOCODE MA EUN), also called El Marsa or the port of El Aaiún, on the Atlantic coast of Western Sahara, a disputed territory administered by Morocco. The port ships phosphate rock in bulk, with annual volumes fluctuating between about 1 and 2 million tonnes, and also handles sand exports and hydrocarbon imports; it has operated since 1986. These phosphate exports are internationally contested and tracked critically by groups such as Western Sahara Resource Watch. Fishing is the port's second pillar: El Marsa lands very large volumes of small pelagic species and reportedly accounts for around 43% of port revenue. With a pier depth of about 6.4 metres, Laayoune is a bulk and fishing port rather than a container hub; for container, reefer and customs needs, Agadir to the north and Dakhla to the south are the practical alternatives.

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*Freight Academy — Seaport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/laayoune-port-ma-eun](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/laayoune-port-ma-eun)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/laayoune-port-ma-eun](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/laayoune-port-ma-eun)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/seaports/laayoune-port-ma-eun/llm-summary?lang=en*