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Morocco is set to establish a maritime route for passengers and commercial trade between Tarfaya, in Western Sahara, and the Canary Islands.
The Moroccan Ministry of Equipment, Transport, and Logistics published on Tuesday, November 17, a call for expressions of interest for companies wishing to operate the future route.
The new maritime route between Morocco and the Canary Islands will transport both passengers and cargo.
According to the Ministry of Equipment, the mixed route aims to strengthen maritime services that Moroccan ports provide and contribute to the economic and social development of the Kingdom’s southern provinces.
The future maritime route will also reduce the time required for sea travel between Morocco and the Canary islands.
There is currently no direct maritime route between the North African country and the Spanish archipelago. Travelers who wish to travel from Morocco to the Canary Islands by boat need to transit through mainland Spain and the trips usually last more than two days.
A new route from Tarfaya would reduce the time needed to reach the Canary Islands to a few hours.
While no set date for when this project will materialize is publicly available, the Ministry of Equipment set the application deadline for companies wishing to operate the route on January 26, 2021.
The company that earns the right to operate the maritime route will sign a five-year contract with Moroccan authorities.
Applications must include all the administrative, technical, and financial details relating to the project.
The ministry will evaluate all applications based on 12 criteria, including the company’s experience, investment budget, and Moroccan capital share, as well as the number, age, and type of boats to be used in the route.
