Morocco is positioned to become a driving force in the global maritime sector’s energy transition, according to a World Bank analysis highlighting the Kingdom’s strategic geography, abundant renewable resources, and low-cost green hydrogen production potential.
The institution notes that Moroccan ports are already prepared to serve as hubs for producing, storing, bunkering, and exporting green hydrogen — a fuel source increasingly viewed as essential for decarbonizing international shipping. Hydrogen derivatives such as ammonia and methanol are emerging as the most promising replacements for conventional marine fuels, and Morocco is well placed to meet surging global demand.
Under a medium-demand scenario, the World Bank estimates that vessels calling at Moroccan ports could require approximately 200,000 tonnes of hydrogen-equivalent fuel by 2030, rising to 2.83 million tonnes by 2050. Tanger Med, one of the world’s largest container ports and currently handling around 1.5 million tonnes of fossil bunker fuel annually, is identified as a prime candidate to become a green bunkering hub along one of the planet’s busiest shipping corridors. Jorf Lasfar, already processing two million tonnes of ammonia yearly, could integrate green hydrogen derivatives into existing industrial processes, potentially decarbonizing Morocco’s fertilizer sector.
The benefits extend well beyond shipping. Accelerated hydrogen development would create jobs, generate new revenue streams, improve access to clean water through desalination synergies, and strengthen electricity supply. Surplus renewable energy from hydrogen production could also serve local communities.
Europe’s REPowerEU initiative, targeting imports of over 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030, positions Morocco as a natural supply partner given its proximity and production capacity. With shipping lanes crossing the Strait of Gibraltar reinforcing its geostrategic advantage, the Kingdom has a clear opportunity to anchor itself as a global hydrogen hub at the intersection of African resources and European demand.
