The Port of Annaba lies at the mouth of the Wadi Seybouse in northeastern Algeria near the border with Tunisia. Algeria’s fourth largest city and an important industrial center, it is located on a natural harbor in Annaba Province. Known for its wonderful beaches and family-oriented nightlife, most of the city’s tourists come from Italy and France.

The Port of Annaba is the main exporter of minerals for Algeria. It is ringed by forests, rich farm land, and mines. It is also an important trading and fishing port with road and rail connections to Algiers and other northeastern Algerian cities. The Port of Annaba’s main industries include aluminum works, an iron and steel complex, automobile and rail shops, and a fertilizer plant. In 2002, over 258 thousand people called the Port of Annaba home.

People have lived in the region around Annaba for many years. Archaeological evidence suggests inhabitants as early as 200,000 BC, where the artifacts reveal great skill at making tools. Other tools indicated human habitation around 100,000 BC, and advanced flake tools from the Stone Age have been found. Other tools dating from around 85,000 BC were found south of Annaba at the Bir el Ater site. Phoenicians probably founded the village in the 12th Century BC.

The Port of Annaba has long been a busy point for water-based trade and commerce. Romans occupied the area they called Hippo Regius in the 1st and 2nd Centuries BC, which became the home of the kings of Numidia after the Punic Wars. In the Christian era, it became a philosophical and religious center, being the bishopric of St. Augustineat the turn of the 5th Century AD. The Port of Annaba was destroyed by Vandals in 431 and conquered by the Byzantine Empire in 533. At the end of the 7th Century, it fell to the Arabs.

Long a refuge for pirates, the Port of Annaba remained a village for centuries until it was captured by the French in 1832. The French called it Bone, and it was home to more European colonists than most cities in Africa. The French installed the early port as a place for the movement of mineral and agricultural goods from surrounding country. In 1870, they dedicated 80 hectares to the port, installing quays of 590 meters on the north and south piers. About 1885, a new 47-hectare harbor was constructed by dredging and new quays appeared.

In 1962, Algeria won its independence from France, and they undertook expansions and improvements to the port. New stations were added to handle coal imports and iron and steel exports, and a new fishing port was opened. In 1997, a new general-purpose terminal for roll-on/roll-off cargo and containers was opened.

Today, the Port of Annaba’s old town is near the city center, with narrow winding streets and early French houses. Also in the old town are the 11th Century Mosque of Sidi Bou Merouan (built with columns from Roman ruins) and the 1787 Mosque of Salah Bey. The modern city has grown up since 1970 on both sides of the main road.

The Port of Annaba is one of ten main Algerian ports. The Entreprise Portuaire de Annaba, a state-owned company, manages the port and facilities. The port features a sheltered harbor located at the intersection of both highway and rail networks. It is also 11 kilometers away from the International Airport of Annaba (Rabah BITAT).

Quay No. 1 at the Port of Annaba contains six berths with a total length of 1800 meters. The quay handles general cargoes, cereals, and liquid bulk cargoes like oil. Quay No. 2 contains two berths of 700 meters and handles containers, roll-on/roll-off cargoes, and ferries. Quay No. 3 handles containers at its two berths totaling 1880 meters. Quay No. 4, with 1150 meters of berths, handles phosphates, oil and oil products, bitumen, phosphoric acid, and a variety of goods. Quay No. 5, with nine berths totaling 3240 meters, handles coal, coke, iron ore, iron and steel products, phosphates, ammonia, fuels, tar, general cargoes, and tugboats.

The General-Purpose Terminal handles roll-on/roll-off cargoes and containers. The terminal covers 10 hectares and 480 meters of quays with alongside depth of 8.5 meters (planned to reach 10 meters after dredging). It is equipped to handle refrigerated containers and offers ample storage.

The Iron and Steel Terminal is used for the import of coal and iron ore for the El Hadjar steelworks. The terminal can accommodate ships to 55 thousand DWT and has alongside depth of 12.5 meters. The terminal can handle over one million tons of coal per year. Two stations with 630 meters of quay and alongside depth of 9.75 meters are devoted to the import and export of iron and steel and metallurgical products.

The phosphate terminal is managed by FERPHOS and is dedicated to the export of phosphates and iron ore. Three stations are reserved for general cargoes. With a total of 850 meters of wharves and alongside depth of from 6.2 to 9.8 meters, direct rail connections allow efficient movement of cargo.

The Port of Annaba’s grain silo is dedicated to the movement of cereals. The quay of 155 meters, with alongside depth of 11 meters, can accommodate vessels to 30 thousand DWT. The grain silo has capacity for 16 thousand tons of cereals.

Other stations in the Port of Annaba specialize in the refueling of vessels, export of asphalt and ammonia, import of sulfur and potash, and the transshipment of brown sugar and plant oils.

While the City of Annaba is not an extremely popular tourist destination, it contains many sights well worth the visit. First on the list is the Church of Saint-Augustine of Hippo, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in November 2008. It is a beautiful cathedral not far from downtown. Its breathtaking architecture is complemented by the Roman ruins behind the church and the fact that the church holds a holy relic, Saint Augustine’s hand.

The Port of Annaba’s downtown holds “Le Cours,” the central downtown square, bordered by local cafes that sell delicious ice cream. Downtown contains many examples of French colonial architecture that stand in contrast to the new modern buildings of steel and glass.

The oldest section in the Port of Annaba, called the Kasbah, boasts magnificent 12th Century Ottoman architecture, narrow alleys, and well-worn walkways where people still inhabit ancient structures.

The Port of Annaba is blessed with a beautiful Mediterranean coastline and glorious beaches. The “La Corniche” area on Chappui beach is a nightlife treasure, with great clubs and restaurants.

Les Allemends neighborhood hides a family-oriented amusement park where both children and parents will have a great time.

Located where the mountains meet the sea, the Port of Annaba offers a fantastic landscape where nature-lovers can hike many different terrains, and bird-watchers will find a variety of native species.

With over five million visitors a year, the Port of Annaba has many lodgings ranging from the most expensive 5-star luxuries to budget-friendly hotels. Likewise, the city offers restaurants for every taste and budget. During the summer, visitors will enjoy a variety of stage performances and night sports events.