Morocco opens tender for the biggest shipyard project in Africa

Morocco has launched an international tender for the operation of a newly built shipyard at the Port of Casablanca, presenting a potential business opportunity for Asian players. The 52-acre facility which aims to service vessels that currently have to rely on Europe’s overstretched shipyards has been built by the national ports authority ANP at the cost of US$300m. The New Casablanca Port Shipyard is being offered to private operators under a 30-year concession. The selected party will be responsible for the development, outfitting, operation, and maintenance of the facility.  Bidders may also propose a shipbuilding component, drawing on Morocco’s success in creating an investor-friendly environment—particularly in the automotive sector, where reliable infrastructure and political stability have attracted global manufacturers like Stellantis NV and Renault SA, helping position the country as Africa’s leading vehicle exporter

Infrastructure at the facility includes a 244-meter-long, 40-meter-wide dry dock, a vertical ship lift with a capacity of 9,000 tonnes, a dock equipped with a gantry crane, and outfitting quays. The shipyard is expected to handle maintenance and repair work for up to 500 vessels a year, covering commercial, military, and fishing fleets. The shipyard is also expected to service African ships heading north to Europe and enable Morocco to service its own naval vessels, reducing reliance on foreign yards and the associated outflows of foreign currency. Until now, the country has operated only small-scale shipyards in Casablanca and Agadir, largely focused on fishing ships.

Bidding companies must demonstrate at least ten years of experience operating comparable shipyards. Applications can be submitted independently or as part of a consortium led by a qualified operator.

Tanger Port. Photo source: Amit Jain

With the new shipyard, Morocco could build on the success of the Tanger Med port, located on the Strait of Gibraltar. Known for its advanced infrastructure and digitalised operations, Tanger Med was ranked the world’s fourth most efficient port in the World Bank’s 2023 Container Port Performance Index. Approximately 35% of Africa’s trade with the rest of the world passes through the facility. The port complex and surrounding area hosts more than 1,200 companies operating in sectors such as automotive, aeronautics, logistics, and textiles. 

The Casablanca shipyard tender comes as Asian companies have started to invest in Africa’s ports sector. Singapore-based Tolaram has constructed the Lekki Deep Sea Port inside the Lagos Free Zone in Nigeria, which has turned out to be a game changer. With a depth of 16.5m, the port can accommodate vessels up to four times larger than those handled by the West African country’s older facilities. Chinese companies also maintain a significant presence. China Merchants Port Holdings operates terminals in Nigeria, Togo, and Djibouti, while China Harbour Engineering Company has carried out projects in Sudan, Angola, and Egypt. In 2023, Hong Kong-based Hutchison Ports committed roughly US$700m to two Egyptian port developments, bringing its total investment in the country to US$1.5bn. Meanwhile, Philippines-based International Container Terminal Services Inc. won a bid to upgrade a container terminal in Durban, South Africa.

 

References

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