Morocco's main port operator Marsa Maroc has inked a 25-year concession agreement with Nador West Med (NWM) for the NWM Eastern Container Terminal, according to a press release (pdf). Marsa Maroc will invest EUR 200 mn in developing the first phase of the terminal, which is expected to be operational by 2027.

What we know: The new terminal will have a 3.4 mn TEU capacity and will be equipped with 15 ship-to-shore cranes and 45 rubber-tyred gantry cranes. It will extend over an area of 70 hectares and have a water depth of 18 meters as well as 1.5k meters of quay.

A big boost for Marsa’s operations: The expansion will increase the port operator’s container handling capacity up to 6.5 mn TEUs with almost 5 mn TEUs dedicated to container transshipment, according to the statement.

Background: Marsa Maroc currently manages 24 terminals across 10 ports, handling some 57 mn tonnes in 2023. The port operator also manages Morocco’s Tangier Med Port’s Container Terminal 3 (CT3) with German-shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd, Eurogate International GmbH, and Contship Italia. CT3 has reached its full capacity of 1.5 mn TEUs.

REMEMBER- There’s more from Marsa on the horizon: Morocco is lining up a tender for a floating LNG terminal at NWM port this summer. The operator is looking to close a financial agreement on the project in 2025 with construction, commissioning, and commercial operations due to begin in 2026. Several Moroccan government bodies inked an MoU in April to develop an LNG terminal at NWM Port as part of plans to boost LNG transport, storage, regasification, and trade infrastructure in the country.

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