Port of Gibraltar: Difference between revisions

In the mid-18th century the port of Gibraltar became a naval station for the [[Royal Navy]]. It served as an important tactical point, where a whole fleet of Navy vessels and 4,000 soldiers were assigned to the port, awaiting orders from their king (Constantine, S. & Blinkhorn, M 2009).<ref name="Constantine, S. 2009">Constantine, S. & Blinkhorn, M (2009).Community and identity: the making of modern Gibraltar since 1704. Manchester: Manchester University Press. Retrieved From http://site.ebrary.com/lib/csum/reader.action?docID=10623326</ref> Therefore, Britain having the port secured, turned their main focus to exploiting the port's economic assets. As a world trade point, the port of Gibraltar was exporting wine to different cities in the Mediterranean, making Britain millions of profit. This was their main product of exportation because the city had major wine factories. However, ships that were full with spices, cotton, and many other imports had as final destination the port of Gibraltar.The port allowed the distribution of goods to all over Europe making it the best efficient way to import and export to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. As a result of being one of the busiest ports in the world this created jobs opportunities. This made the Port of Gibraltar the perfect place for immigrants looking for employment. As a major supply link the port was required to have large laborlabour force to discharge fresh products such as Beef and Mutton for the Britain troops that were imported from the city Tetuan, in Morocco (Constantine, S. & Blinkhorn, M 2009).<ref name="Constantine, S. 2009"/> Therefore, any ship from any nation, including, remarkably, those with Britain might even be at war, were totally free to trade with Gibraltar provided that they brought in supplies. This was the reason that by the 1770s vessels from North America imported tobacco, Sugar, cotton, timber, dried cod, rum; rice and maize through the port of Gibraltar. As a result, imports were able to be distributed to all over Europe and Asia. As the centercentre of the [[international trade]] market, the port of Gibraltar had large amount of currency transaction during this trading.<ref name="Constantine, S. 2009"/> However, in many cases, the port was not only a trade point but an exchange of shipments that were re-exported to other ports in the world. This new innovation is what made the port Gibraltar one of the most successful ports up to this date.

The great success of the Port of Gibraltar caught the attention of many that were seeking escape from war and poverty. The port of Gibraltar was a worldwide trade point that was in need of labour. This created a revolution of immigrants looking to obtain a steady job where they could sustain their families. The port of Gibraltar was the indicated place for immigrants to find a job. As a result, in the fallowingfollowing years around 1,500 families moved into Gibraltar which made a tremendously positive impact in the port. The immigrants were a great solution to the port, after, most of the population left after Spain loss the territory leaving the city without any labour force that could sustain the port.<ref>Musteen, J (2011) Nelson's Refuge: Gibraltar in the Agee of Napoleon. Naval Institution Press. Retrieved From http://site.ebrary.com/lib/csum/detail.action?docID=10500079</ref> An estimated 450 native citizencitizens stayed in the port after, Britain took over the port. As a result, the open positions were taken by the immigrants that came from all parts of Europe, North Africa and the Mediterranean. Therefore, re-repopulation was required not only to keep the port running but to maintain functioning of the city functioning. Also, many immigrants were hired as servants for wealthy Britain families that were attracted to the new possession of the land and many decided to establish themselves in Gibraltar (Levey, D.2008) pg.39–45.<ref>Levey, D (2008). Language Change and Variation in Gibraltar. John Benjamin Publishing Company. Retrieved From http://site.ebrary.com/lib/csum/detail.action?docID=10217823</ref> Once the immigrants were established the port was able to keep up with the ships that came in out of the port on a daily basis. The [[workforce]] at the port was responsible for discharging and loading ships by hand. Therefore, the [[British government]] allowed the immigrants to establish themselves as part of the population to maintain the port running (Levey, D.2008) pg.39–45.<ref name="Levey, D 2008">Levey, D (2008). Language Change and Variation in Gibraltar. John Benjamin Publishing Company.Retrieved From http://site.ebrary.com/lib/csum/detail.action?docID=10217823</ref> Therefore, in the population cases of mix relationships started to happen a mixture of cultures was created.<ref name="ReferenceA">Constantine, S. & Blinkhorn, M (2009).Community and identity: the making of modern Gibraltar since 1704. Manchester: Manchester University Press.Retrieved From http://site.ebrary.com/lib/csum/reader.action?docID=10623326</ref> This was a new innovation for the century, which created controversy at the time because mix relationships were not acceptable (Levey, D.2008) pg.39–45.<ref name="Levey, D 2008"/> The main races that were located at the time in Gibraltar were British, Spanish, Genoes, Minorcan, MaltesMaltese, Jewish, and Indian. The intermarriage between these races created the new type of citizens known as Gibraltarians. Since then the Gibraltarians have stay in the port of Gibraltar making sure the port staystayed functioning. Therefore, Gibraltarians make up 81.2% of the population, UK British 11.4% and non-British 7.4% making a total of 29,876 people up to this date.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

The Port of Gibraltar in the 19th century was one of the main world trade points that allowed business opportunities for Gibraltarians. Therefore, in the 1800s many of those that worked at the port were able to become skillskilled commercial traders (Brown, J.2012) pg. 22–25.<ref name="Brown, J 2012">Brown, J (2012).Studies in the History and Society of the Maghrib, Volume 2: Crossing The Strait : Morocco, Gibraltar and Great Britain in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Brill Retrieved From http://site.ebrary.com/lib/csum/detail.action?docID=10562450</ref> As commercial traders many of them distrusted goods around the city for the local population consumption. Also, these merchants were intermediaries between customers and the ships that carried the imports. Therefore, they had an important role in the port because they helped to expand the products brought to the port to third parties companies. The demand for international trade were always high because the port of Gibraltar received ships from all over the world making one of the few with the capability of bringing imports products from all over the world (Brown, J.2012) pg. 22–25.<ref>Brown, J (2012).Studies in the History and Society of the Maghrib, Volume 2: Crossing The Strait : Morocco, Gibraltar and Great Britain in the 18th and 19th Centuries. Brill Retrieved From http://site.ebrary.com/lib/csum/detail.action?docID=10562450</ref> Therefore, the port of Gibraltar made an average merchant into important business man allowing them to build their own wealth by selling and trading products. One of the products that was in high demand was Tabaco and alcohol which, were distributed to Europe. A great opportunity that many Gibraltarians took since trading was such a great way to make money (Brown, J.2012) pg. 22–25.<ref name="Brown, J 2012"/> At the time the economy of the port was at its peak therefore, it resulted in many entrepreneurs that were looking to make a fortune and make them self-rich. As a result of these a new type entrepreneurs created new businesses at the port from repairing ships station, and bars. The new businesses helped the economy of the port of Gibraltar by creating jobs. However, another way Gibraltarians made money was smuggling contraband. This was one of the ways the port of Gibraltar was used many of merchants made their capital this way since they didn't pay taxes. The contraband business was the second operation in the port that made the most profit to the economy. It was big issues that both Spain and Gibraltar try to stop but many smugglers couldn't resist. (Stockey, G & Grocott, and C 2012) pg. 37–42.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> These two sources of income were the pillar of the port of Gibraltar trading and contraband. As the time passed regulations became stricter this helped in the reduction of contraband in the Port of Gibraltar. A new century brought international companies with the assents necessary to helpedhelp modernize the port of Gibraltar creating one of the most modern ports in the world.

==The modernModern Port of Gibraltar==

The port features a shipyard capable of emergency dry docking and major repairs, named [[Gibdock]].<ref name="handbook"/><ref name="WPS">{{cite web |title=Port of Gibraltar |url=http://www.worldportsource.com/ports/commerce/GIB_Port_of_Gibraltar_54.php |website=World Port Source |access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref><ref name="gibdock"/> It is frequently used by the Royal Navy for training purposes or as a stopover for ships transiting to Africa and the Middle East.<ref name="GS1">{{cite web |title=Gibraltar Squadron |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/operations/mediterranean-and-black-sea/gibraltar-squadron |website=[[Royal Navy]] |access-date=22 October 2020 |quote=With its rocky terrain and Mediterranean climate, the island is used primarily for training purposes and as a stopover for ships and aircraft on their way to or from Africa or the Middle East.}}</ref> The Royal Navy also has one offshore patrol vessel and two fast patrol boats permanently based at the port as part of the [[Gibraltar Squadron]] which is tasked with guarding Gibraltar's territorial waters.<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Hartle, Lisa |date=31 March 2021 |title=HMS Trent heads to Gibraltar for permanent role |trans-title= |medium=Video |language=English |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAY17y3Vmg0 |access-date=20 May 2021 |archive-url= |archive-date= |format= |time= |location= |publisher=Forces News |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= }}</ref><ref name="GS1"/><ref name="GS2">{{cite news |title=Territorial Waters: The Royal Navy's Role In Gibraltar |url=https://www.forces.net/news/territorial-waters-royal-navys-role-gibraltar |access-date=22 October 2020 |agency=[[BFBS]] |date=20 February 2020}}</ref> These boats regularly deploy from the port to address Spanish incursions, which are made against the backdrop of a sovereignty dispute between the UK and Spain on the [[Status of Gibraltar]].<ref name="HC461">{{cite web |title=Government Response to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee’s Second Report of Session 2014–2015 (HC 461) Gibraltar: Time to Get Off the Fence |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/351172/42878_Cm_8917_Web_Accessible.pdf |website=UK Parliament |access-date=22 October 2020}}</ref>

In 2017, the CEO and Captain of the Gibraltar Port Authority, Commodore Bob Sanguinetti, warned [[Brexit]] could cause the port severe implications. According to Sanguinetti, Brexit risked undermining the low-cost, VAT-free fuel which the port previously attained by being part of the EU but not within its VAT jurisdiction, as well as adding border restrictions which could impede the movement of parts, provisions and people, including from [[Algeciras]] in Spain, which stores 30% of the port's bunker fuel.<ref name="brexit">{{cite news |title=Brexit Could Have Severe Impact on Gibraltar’s Bunkering |url=https://www.offshore-energy.biz/brexit-could-have-severe-impact-on-gibraltars-bunkering/ |access-date=22 October 2020 |agency=Offshore Energy |date=2 March 2017}}</ref>