Casablanca – The Spanish research firm (SECEGSA) has announced that the construction of the Morocco-Spain tunnel, which has been under consideration since 1979, will be able to proceed in 2030.
With a length of 42 km between terminal stations, including a 27.8 km underwater portion, this fixed line will connect the shores of both countries through the Strait of Gibraltar.
SECEGSA confirmed that expert coordination sessions between the two nations would resume shortly, recalling the Moroccan and Spanish Ministers of Transport meeting concerning the project in April 2021.
The construction of the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline and the normalization of relations between Spain and Morocco renewed interest in the construction of this intercontinental tunnel, the Spanish research company underlined.
According to SECEGSA, this tunnel — which will link Tangier to Tarifa — will run parallel to a gas pipeline that will bring Nigerian gas to Europe.
Read also: Morocco, UK Considering Tunnel Connecting Gibraltar With Tangiers?
To expedite the development of this project, SECEGSA recently submitted to the representative of the Spanish Government all of the studies conducted over the previous 35 years regarding the Morocco-Spain tunnel project, Spanish news platform La Razon indicated.
Original construction plans stem from the Hispano-Moroccan joint declaration, signed in Fez on June 16, 1979.
Conscious of the importance of future connections between the two nations, King Hassan II of Morocco and King Juan Carlos I of Spain had declared their desire to assist in the development of the aforementioned project.
Both monarchs were confident that such an ambitious project would have a significant economic impact on the region.
Due to the lowest cost of natural gas transportation, the Strait of Gibraltar will become a secure gateway for energy products coming from Africa and the Middle East to Europe.
