Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, launched on Saturday operations of the container terminal “East” at Nador West Med port, marking the inaugural step in the operationalization of the Nador West Med industrial-port complex, which mobilized $5.5 billion of public and private investment.
Prince Moulay El Hassan has launched on this occasion the first unloading operation of a container from a commercial vessel at the new terminal.
The launch by the Crown Prince of the operations reflects the particular interest that King Mohammed VI grants to developing major infrastructures, a priority for the Kingdom’s economic transformation and the emergence of new hubs of industrial, logistics, and economic growth, as well as the Monarch’s willingness to provide the country with a diversified, competitive, and internationally-oriented port infrastructure.
The “East” terminal, with 1,520 linear meters of quay, a draft of 18 meters, and 70 hectares of yard space, will have a capacity of 3.5 million containers by 2030. The terminal has been conceded for nearly $510 million to a consortium comprising Marsa Maroc (Africa’s fourth-largest container terminal operator) and Terminal Investment Limited, a subsidiary of the MSC Group (the world’s leading container shipping line), which will operate and maintain the terminal for a period of 25 years.
The Nador West Med complex also includes a second container terminal, the “West” terminal, with a capacity of 1.8 million TEUs. The terminal, conceded to a consortium comprising Marsa Maroc and CMA CGM (the world’s third-largest container shipping line), required investments of over $305 million. It features 900 linear meters of quay and 38 hectares of yard space. It is scheduled to begin operations in April 2027, bringing the port’s total capacity to 5.3 million containers.
Nador West Med will also feature a general cargo terminal covering an area of 22 hectares with a capacity of 3 million tons (scheduled to begin operations in December 2028), as well as a bulk cargo terminal with a capacity of 7 million tons, scheduled for delivery in June 2027, and a roll on-roll off terminal with a capacity of 400,000 units and 380 meters of quay (delivered in September 2026).
It will also house a leading energy hub incorporating a liquefied natural gas terminal with a capacity of 5 billion m3 (360 linear meters of quay) and a hydrocarbon terminal with a capacity of 25 million tons and three 125-meter quays (scheduled to begin operations in April 2027).
The Nador West Med Industrial-Port Complex will create 14,000 direct jobs and 20,000 indirect jobs in the short term, particularly for youth. It includes an industrial and logistics hub covering an area of 700 hectares, attracting $ 1.2 billion in private investment.
Infrastructure projects designed to improve access and connectivity will link this large-scale project to its surrounding area, including a 49-kilometer rail line between Selouane and Nador West Med, and a 105-kilometer highway connection from the city of Guercif.
This port infrastructure is designed to foster the emergence of a new hub for industrial, logistical, and economic growth by attracting productive investments, promoting the development of new activities, and creating new sources of employment.
Training programs tailored to the needs of emerging industries will be launched to promote the professional integration of young people.
The Nador West Med industrial-port complex fully embodies the Royal Strategic Vision, which aims to better leverage Morocco’s assets and enable it to capture new shares of the international maritime trade market between the Mediterranean basin, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
It is part of a strategy to establish high-performance port hubs; drivers of regional development, positioning the country as a leading logistics platform.
Nador West Med also extends and consolidates the momentum initiated by Tanger Med, as part of a strategy of complementarity aimed at equipping the Kingdom with a diversified, competitive, and internationally-oriented port infrastructure.
This ambition is also unfolding along the Atlantic coast through the Dakhla Atlantic project, set to bolster Morocco’s foothold in Africa and offer the countries of the Sahel privileged access to international markets.