Tanger Med Port sacks its director general after ‘conflict of interest’ reports

Idriss Aarabi has replaced Hassan Abkari as director general of the Mediterranean’s largest port, after the latter featured in media articles citing a conflict of interest.

Abkari was cited in multiple stories, including in Barlamane news outlet, which published documents accusing him of setting up a port counselling company in Valencia, Spain.

The move was interpreted as a conflict of interest with Abkari holding a sensitive job at the helm of the top management of Morocco’s top port.

Spanish ports have been complaining of the success of Tanger Med which unseated them as the largest in the Mediterranean with over 9 million containers handled last year.

Abkari’s company was apparently designed to offer advice to competitors of Tanger Med, Barlamane reported.

Tanger Med Port Authority has not made a formal statement on the matter as it continued to investigate the issue.