Port Technology International — 2026-10-30
Maritime and Ports
Morocco’s Nador West Med port complex is set to bring its first container terminal into service in the coming days, while construction of a new port, Tanger Med 3, is due to start shortly.
Both projects were reviewed at a working session chaired by King Mohammed VI at the Royal Palace in Rabat on 28 October, according to a statement from the Royal Office. Fouad Brini, who chairs both TMSA’s Oversight Board and the Nador West Med Board of Administration, presented progress on the two schemes and their next stages of development.
The statement said the projects aim to give Morocco an efficient port system that strengthens its competitiveness as global value chains are restructured, while spreading public investment more evenly, attracting private capital and creating jobs.
Nador West Med is intended to complement Tanger Med and support Morocco’s logistics, industrial and energy positioning. It combines port infrastructure with industrial, logistics and energy platforms, and has so far attracted 54 billion dirhams ($5.5 billion) in public and private investment.
The initial phase of the first container terminal will begin operating soon, and the terminal will eventually offer a capacity of 3.5 million containers. A second terminal, able to handle 1.8 million containers, is scheduled to enter service in April 2027. The two terminals will involve 8 billion dirhams ($815 million) of private investment.
The energy component includes the commissioning of a hydrocarbon terminal backed by storage with a potential capacity of 4 million cubic metres, and a liquefied natural gas terminal able to process up to 5 billion cubic metres a year. The statement described these investments as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s energy security. A solid bulk terminal and a general cargo terminal will complete the port’s offer.
The industrial zone is already operational, with one active factory and three more under construction. In the short term, the complex is expected to create 14,000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs. Supporting infrastructure includes the Selouane-NWM railway link, the Guercif-NWM highway and upgrades to the surrounding road network.
Tanger Med 3 will be built to the west of Tanger Med 2, with 1,200 metres of quays adding 4.5 million containers of annual capacity, for an investment of 8 billion dirhams ($815 million). A concession contract for the new container terminal has been signed with APM Terminals, part of the Maersk Group, according to the statement.
The project accompanies the ongoing extension of the passenger and RoRo port and will allow Tanger Med 2 to be extended eastwards. Once the new projects are completed, the Tanger Med complex could reach a total capacity of 20 million containers, which the statement said could place it among the world’s top 10.
At the end of the session, the King stressed that the economic and social benefits of both projects should reach all the provinces concerned and bring tangible improvements for local people. He also called for faster rollout of training programmes matched to emerging activities, to help young people into work.