The Tangier Port project is one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Morocco.
Halcrow provided technical support to the client for the construction of a major new port in North East Morocco which is to become one of the biggest ports in the Mediterranean. The project is a key part of the economic development of the northern part of Morocco.
Located on the Mediterranean Coast, 35km east of Tangiers, the future deepwater port and associated free-trade zone will lend new impetus to the economy of northern Morocco. It is aimed at anchoring Morocco in the Euro-Mediterranean zone and establishing the area as a model of integrated regional development.
Halcrow has provided on site technical assistance to the client with support from UK and specialists. The project has been let on a design and build basis and Halcrow has been advising on design as well as construction issues. As well as providing resident engineer staff, there was also head office support for technical issues providing specialist inputs such as on wave modelling, concrete technology, transport planning and cathodic protection.
The initial project was extended as a result of the successful completion of the first phase and led to the client constructing a specialist RoRo port adjacent to the original port. A third container port was also subsequently constructed.
Benefits
Tanger Med is the result of this vision supported by transnational considerations that are of strategic importance for Morocco to ensure :
- competitiveness
- new basis for territory planning
- local development
Tanger Med will meet its objectives by providing the Moroccan industry with a competitive edge through better logistics and fostering, through its integrated aspect, higher competitiveness in the Northern Provinces of Morocco.
The new port will restore Tangier’s role as an international crossroads from Asia to Europe and America. Integrated to international logistics circuits, it serves the existing and future free zones and improves the competitiveness of businesses based in Morocco.
The port terminal will be joined by a new motorway and upgraded rail link south to the business hub of Casablanca which will help revitalise the economy. Linked to this, property prices are rising in the North of Morocco which have been fuelled by the construction of the new port. It is estimated 140,000 jobs will be created indirectly as part of this project which again will have a significant impact on the local economy.