Rabat – Morocco’s port activity reached 88 million tons in 2019, equivalent to a 3.2% increase compared to the previous year.
The National Ports Agency (ANP), which has published its financial results for 2019, credits the rise in activity to increases of 12.6% in coal traffic to 10.08 million tons, 20% in sulfur traffic to 6.6 million tons, and 2.5% in container traffic to 12.4 million tons.
The news comes amid fears that the coronavirus outbreak might impede operations in Moroccan ports and disrupt supplies of essential goods. The ANP issued a press release on Wednesday, March 25 to reassure citizens that the pandemic has not affected Morocco’s port activity.
International trade continues without interruption in the Tangier Med, Casablanca, and Mohammedia ports, following a series of sanitary measures in collaboration with Moroccan authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“The level of activity of the port shows a normal level of transit of goods,” stated ANP in reference to the Casablanca port earlier this month.
ANP also reported that its net income amounted to MAD 76.7 billion ($7.78 billion) in 2019 compared to MAD 147 billion ($14.9 billion) in 2018, marking a 47.9% decline. Phosphate traffic fell by nearly 14% to 9.6 million tons last year, ANP added in its financial communication.
As for turnover, Moroccan ports posted nearly MAD 1.8 billion ($182.6 million) in 2019 against MAD 1.7 billion ($172.5 million) in 2018, an increase of 4.1%.
Tanger Med also attracted several renowned international investors last year, including DHL, NIPPON EXPRESS, and KASAI. The steady international port trade is essential to Morocco’s economy especially considering the expected economic stagnation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
