New shipping routes strengthen Morocco’s maritime hub ambitions

Morocco advances its strategic positioning as a maritime gateway between Europe and Africa with two major shipping line launches scheduled for late 2025. Ocean Network Express and DP World’s new services from Casablanca and Agadir complement the kingdom’s multi-port strategy, diversifying beyond Tanger Med’s established dominance.

Japanese carrier Ocean Network Express inaugurates its Spain-Portugal-Morocco rotation October 16, connecting Valencia, Lisbon, and Casablanca biweekly. This service provides Moroccan exporters, particularly automotive and agro-food sectors, direct access to Valencia’s global hub while reducing logistics costs and accelerating supply chain integration. Partnership arrangements with Hyundai Merchant Marine and Yang Ming Marine Transport extend connectivity across Mediterranean, Asian, and Middle Eastern markets.

DP World’s Atlas service, launching November 2025, establishes direct connections between Agadir-Casablanca and London-Antwerp. Specifically designed for Morocco’s agricultural sector, the route reduces export times by two days while cutting carbon emissions 70 percent compared to road transport. This efficiency gain proves crucial for Morocco’s 2.5 million tonnes annual agricultural maritime exports, generating over 40 billion dirhams in 2024.

These developments align with Morocco’s broader maritime strategy leveraging 3,500 kilometers of coastline and forty ports. While Tanger Med leads as Africa’s premier container port processing 8.6 million TEUs in 2024, expanding Casablanca and Agadir services creates multi-polar capabilities addressing industrial, agricultural, and energy requirements.

Morocco targets 50 percent port capacity expansion by 2030 while doubling West African maritime exchanges. Progressive integration into the African Continental Free Trade Area positions Casablanca, Agadir, and Tanger Med as triangulated hubs linking Mediterranean, Atlantic, and sub-Saharan trade corridors.