China, Morocco linked by rail + sea corridor: A rail-sea route connecting China’s Chengdu to Morocco’s Tangier has launched operations, marking the first China-Europe express railway trip to an African-Mediterranean port, Moroccan news outlet Médias24 reports. This new route extends the China-Hamburg railway — using Hamburg as a hub to redistribute containers to Barcelona, where they are transhipped by sea to Morocco, an undisclosed source told Médias24.

Who’s behind it? The initiative is reportedly a collaboration between Sichuan Silk Road Supply Chain Management and France’s La Poste subsidiary DPD (Deutscher Paketdienst).

Saving time and trouble: The system reportedly aims to trim delivery times from over 35 days to around 20 days, bypassing geopolitical hotspots — the straits of Bab El Mandab and Hormuz — and the protracted Cape of Good Hope route.

A saving grace for China: The new route is set to offer Chinese firms “a stable and predictable alternative that could reduce dependence on vulnerable sea lanes,” Founder of Sino Contractors Abdelhak Benkerroum told EnterpriseAM Logistics. It will also help Chinese firms looking to increase trade to Morocco and the wider African region avoid challenges associated with maritime disruptions, such as “cost increases, perishable risks, and scheduling chaos,” Benkerroum said.

Morocco is set to benefit, too: The route is set to cut costs for Moroccan exporters, and turn Morocco into an attractive destination for Chinese investors looking to leverage Morocco’s freetrade agreements with the EU and US, as well as its access to African markets, Benkerroum told us. “The new China-Morocco tariff exemptions (covering 98% of African goods) will make several [Moroccan] exports — including phosphates and derivatives, automobiles, and agricultural products and seafood — competitive,” Benkerroum said.

ICYMI- China is currently negotiating the implementation of its no-tariff access plan that will allow all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations to trade with China at near zero duties.

Morocco, China trade: Rabat is a member of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, having signed a formal implementation plan in 2022, Morocco World News reported at the time. In 2024, the total trade volume between China and Morocco reached USD 9.04 bn, according to a statement. China's exports to Morocco were USD 7.74 bn, primarily consisting of textiles, apparel, electronics, machinery, footwear, tea, and hardware. China's imports from Morocco amounted to USD 1.3 bn, mainly comprising electronic components and metal ore.

IN OTHER INTERMODAL LOGISTICS NEWS-

AD Ports kicks off new Central Asian logistics JV: AD Ports Group has partnered with Kazakhstan Railway’s freight arm KTZ Express to launch its new Central Asian logistics joint venture (JV), according to a statement. The Abu Dhabi-based port operator holds the majority share in the JV — dubbed GulfLink Ltd — at 51%, while KTZ Express maintains the remaining 49%.

Expanding trade links…: GulfLink aims to offer new cargo routes for Central Asia — connecting through Pakistan, Turkey, the GCC, and the Indian subcontinent. The new firm will utilize KTZ’s 16k km of rail lines in Central Asia to boost trade flows and expand transport infrastructure. The move is important as nearly 70% of freight moves through Kazakhstan via rail.

…and supporting ongoing projects: Under the JV, AD Ports looks to revamp Central Asia’s logistics infrastructure and support its existing ventures in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Georgia. The firm had agreed to expand their existing collaboration with Kazmortransflot on container shipping in the Caspian Sea, adding another four vessels with a capacity of 780 20-foot equivalent units to support bilateral trade. AD Ports Group is also Investing over USD 50 mn to develop the Sarzha Grain Terminal at Kuryk Port in partnership with Kazakhstan’s Semurg.

REMEMBER- UAE inked USD 5 bn in MoUs with Kazakhstan spanning energy, infrastructure, AI, and logistics back in May.

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