CMA CGM finalizes stake uptake at Nador West: CMA Terminals — a subsidiary of French logistics giant CMA CGM Group — and Morocco’s leading port operator Marsa Maroc have finalized a partnership agreement to set up a joint venture (JV) that will own and operate Nador West Med’s (NWM) Container Terminal, according to a statement released on Friday. The two sides inked a comprehensive framework for the JV last year.

Ownership breakdown: Marsa Maroc is slated to hold a 51% share in the JV, while CMA CGM is set to have a 49% share.

What we know about Nador West so far: The JV will invest EUR 280 mn in developing the project’s first phase, which is slated to be operational by 2027. The new terminal — which will extend over an area of 60 hectares — is set to be divided into two sections: a 900-meter section for container handling and a 540-meter section for general activities. It will be equipped with eight ship-to-shore cranes and will have a throughput capacity of 1.8 mn TEUs per annum.

About the port: Located in the Gibraltar zone, the port will feature two terminals, with the capacity to handle large container vessels with drafts of up to 18 meters. It is also planned to become a Mediterranean hub for maritime bunkering of alternative fuels, including e-methane and e-methanol, the statement said, crediting Morocco’s budding green hydrogen production sector.

A similar playbook for the port’s eastern section: Marsa Maroc is planning to invest EUR 200mn in developing the first phase of the Eastern Container Terminal, which is also expected to be operational by 2027. MSC subsidiary Terminal Investment Limited (TIL) will also invest in the terminal through a 49% stake, following the same playbook advanced in the NWM’s western terminal.

A long-standing partnership: CMA CGM has had a foothold in Morocco since 1983, with nearly 31 maritime services operating out of Morocco’s major ports of Agadir, Casablanca, and Tanger Med. The firm’s subsidiary, Terminal Link, owns 100% of a terminal at Casablanca Port and 40% of Tangiers’ Eurogate terminal.

IN OTHER MOROCCO NEWS-

CMA CGM’s short sea lines division launched a new service for date exports — linking Morocco, Tunisia, and Spain, effective from 29 October 2025, according to a statement released on Friday. The new service will call at Morocco’s Tanger Med — with a connecting shuttle service via Casablanca, Tunisia’s Sfax, and Spain’s Valencia Port. It will operate using two 800 TEU-capacity vessels on a 14-day rotation. The service is set to connect to global dry and reefer export destinations via Tanger Med and Valencia.

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