Morocco to review its National Ports Strategy

In 2010, Morocco launched its National Ports Strategy (SNP), a strategy designed to run until 2030. After eight years of implementation, the Directorate of Ports and Public Maritime Domain within the Ministry of Equipment, Transport, Logistics and Water has launched a study to measure progress.

The SNP is divided into six port regions: Eastern (Nador West Med port), North West (Tangier and Tangier ports), the Kenitra-Casablanca area (Casablanca, Mohammedia and Kenitra ports), the Abda-Doukkala hub (Jorf Lasfar and Safi ports), the Souss-Tensift hub (Agadir port) and the South (Ports de Tan-Tan, Laayoune and Dakhla). The strategy envisages a total investment of more than MAD 74 billion (€6.76 billion) and to align the management and organization of Moroccan ports with international standards and take into account regional territorial variations.

This study is also aimed at updating the SNP 2030 port traffic evolution hypotheses, as well as the forecast of port demand by 2030 (trade, passengers, fishing, pleasure craft, cruise, construction and ship repair). The Ports Directorate is also preparing to design and develop an information system with port statistical management modules. The Equipment Department also wants to have monitoring indicators for the SNP. This study comes at a time when some port projects are experiencing delays.

For example, the tender for the construction of Nador West Med was not awarded until March 2016, four years after the initial call for tenders. This future port specialized in the storage of petroleum products will be built by the consortium composed of the General Society of Works of Morocco (SGTM), Turkish group STFA and Luxembourg JDN. The SNP is also marked by the difficulty of commissioning new ports, the most emblematic case being that of the new port of Safi.

To get an overview of the status of ongoing projects, the Equipment Department is trying to draw up an assessment of the eight years of SNP implementation. The SNP is also marked by the difficulty of commissioning new ports, the most emblematic case being that of the new port of Safi. Our colleagues at Telquel had revealed the difficulties that the construction of this new port was experiencing. This project started in April 2013 and requires an investment of 4.1 billion dirhams.

To get an overview of the status of ongoing projects, the Equipment Department is trying to draw up an assessment of the eight years of SNP implementation.

Source: Portseurope