French container liner giant CMA CGM Group has entered into a joint venture deal with the port terminal management specialist Marsa Maroc to equip and operate for 25 years a 750-meter section of quay and 35 hectares of yard within the Morocco’s Nador West Med container terminal.
Morocco is of strategic importance, notably because of its role as a crossroads for trade between Europe, Africa and the Mediterranean Basin.
Through this partnership, with CMA CGM and Marsa Maroc holding 49% and 51% respectively, the joint venture will equip and operate 50% of the Nador West Med container terminal, i.e. 35 hectares of container yard and 750 meters of quay with a maximum draught of 18 meters.
Building on its existing presence in Morocco in the Eurogate Tangiers and Casablanca container terminals (via SOMAPORT), the CMA CGM Group is pursuing with this move its development as a major player, CMA CGM said, in the country’s supply chain.
Over the 25-year sub-concession, the partners will invest $280m, aiming for an annual terminal output of 1.2 million TEUs.
Capable of handling the world’s largest container ships with a maximum draught of 18 meters, the terminal will eventually be equipped with 8 transshipment cranes, compared with 6 at present, and 24 electric RTGs, compared with 15 at present.
Located in the strategic Gibraltar zone, in the Bay of Betoya, on the Oued Kert estuary, the port of Nador West Med has significant assets to complement the CMA CGM Group’s terminals in the strategic Western Mediterranean zone.
According to CMA CGM, Nador West Med – due to Morocco’s green hydrogen production sector – is set to become a maritime bunkering hub for new synthetic energies in the Mediterranean (e-methane and e-methanol), notably for the CMA CGM Group’s fleet of dual-fuel gas and methanol vessels.
“Morocco is positioning itself as a strategic logistics and port hub with strong growth potential,” said Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group.
