Doha – A major protocol agreement for the construction of Agadir Atlantic Hub dry port was signed on Monday, January 20, in a ceremony presided over by Morocco’s Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch.
The project, which has been in development for three years, represents the largest logistics initiative in the Souss-Massa region.
The dry port will be established within the export free zone in Drarga commune, covering an area of 100 hectares.
According to Driss Boutti, president of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) for the Souss-Massa region, the facility aims to address the saturation of Morocco’s maritime ports.
“A dry port is a logistics infrastructure located inland, equipped with all the functionalities of a maritime port but without direct access to the sea,” Boutti explained in a statement to the press.
The facility is designed to optimize import and export flows while reducing pressure on coastal ports.
The project, with an estimated budget of MAD 1.4 billion ($140 million), is expected to create 10,000 direct and indirect jobs.
The infrastructure will include an international customs-bonded logistics zone, conditioning stations with refrigerated and dry storage facilities, an administrative area housing customs and ONSSA offices, a container storage park for both empty and full containers, and a cabotage line connecting maritime ports to the dry port.
Transport and Logistics Minister Abdessamad Kayouh stated that the Agadir Atlantic Hub dry port is part of a series of projects aimed at strengthening infrastructure in the Souss-Massa region.
The agreement for the project was signed by Karim Achengli, President of the Souss-Massa Regional Council, and Khalid Safir, Director General of the Deposit and Management Fund (CDG).
Additional signatories included Ghassane El Machrafi, Director General of the Moroccan Logistics Development Agency; Mustapha Farès, Director General of the National Ports Agency; and Fouad Brini, President of the Supervisory Board of the Tanger-Mediterranean Special Agency.
The ceremony also inaugurated the new Drarga 3 industrial zone, spanning 27.11 hectares, and unveiled a new glove production facility by Meditech Gloves, representing an investment of MAD 461 million ($46.1 million).
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