Casablanca shipyard to boost Morocco’s maritime industry
The Casablanca shipyard, inaugurated Thursday by King Mohammed VI, marks a significant milestone in Morocco’s efforts to strengthen its position in the global maritime industry.
With an investment of approximately 2.5 billion dirhams, the shipyard includes a 240-meter-long dry dock capable of accommodating vessels up to 220 meters in length and 32 meters in width.
It also features a 150m x 28m lifting platform with a 9,700-ton capacity, a 60-meter-long dock equipped with a 450-ton strap elevator, and 21 hectares of developed land with 660 meters of outfitting quays.
The new facility is designed to enhance the port’s capabilities in both shipbuilding and repair, positioning Casablanca as a strategic hub on the international naval map.
The project also aims to restructure and expand Morocco’s ship construction and maintenance sector, attract foreign investment, meet domestic demand, and tap into global markets.
“This shipyard represents a pivotal step toward building a robust and competitive national maritime industry,” Mustapha Farès, Director General of the National Ports Agency (ANP) told MAP.
He emphasized that Morocco’s geostrategic location will allow the facility to serve as a key asset in developing the country’s Atlantic coastline and strengthening maritime connectivity.
The shipyard is part of a broader 5-billion-dirham redevelopment program for the Casablanca port complex. This includes the construction of a new fishing port, a cruise terminal, and a centralized administrative complex housing all port stakeholders. The initiative is expected to bolster Casablanca’s economic and tourism appeal, reinforcing its role as a key maritime gateway.
Geraint Evans, CEO of the UK Major Ports Group (UKMPG), told MAP correspondent in London in comments on the redevelopment program for the Casablanca port complex that Morocco is reaping the rewards of its “ambitious” strategy of placing ports at the center of its economic development.
Evans stressed the importance of the projects inaugurated as part of the restructuring and development of the Casablanca Port Complex and pointed out that many countries can learn from Morocco’s recognition of the crucial role that ports play in today’s and tomorrow’s economy.
He also commended the expansion of the Kingdom’s ports as well as the recent decision by the international port infrastructure operator, DP World, to launch a maritime service directly linking Morocco to the United Kingdom and Northern Europe.