Rabat – Minister of Equipment Nizar Baraka recently spoke on the importance of restructuring and developing the Casablanca Port Complex.
This project, which aims to boost Morocco’s international maritime standing, is based on various pillars, including the restructuring and development of the country’s shipbuilding and repair sector.
This is part of King Mohammed VI’s vision to reinforce the Moroccan fleet and strengthen national sovereignty within this area, he said.
King Mohammed VI inaugurated and toured several major development projects at the Casablanca Port Complex on Thursday.
The National Ports Agency (ANP) is in charge of the projects, which aims to strengthen the economic and tourism prominence of the metropolis – part of a broader vision to establish Casablanca as a premier economic and financial hub in Africa, fully connected to global markets.
Baraka said that one major focus was renovating the cruise terminal, which has an annual capacity of 450,000 passengers.
Secretary of State for Maritime Fisheries Zakia Driouich made similar remarks following the inauguration ceremony, saying that this project is a strategic lever for promoting the fishing sector.
These developments are part of the strategic vision to upgrade the fishing sector, focused on strengthening the national fleet through reinforcing infrastructure and acquiring equipment necessary for managing fish landings, Driouich said.
The official detailed that the port is equipped with a new-generation fish market, consisting of 15 modern units that meet all seafood products’ quality standards. She added that this structure is part of a national network of 64 similar markets.
A result of a MAD 5 billion ($557 million) investment, the new Casablanca Port Complex also impressed international observers, including former UK ambassador to Morocco Thomas Reilly.
In a statement to MAP, the former envoy said the project strengthens Morocco’s position as a gateway between Europe and Africa.
“These are impressive projects,” Reilly told the press, noting that Morocco, a maritime nation with over 3,500 km of coastline, “also serves as a bridge between Europe and Africa. In this context, the Kingdom’s port facilities must be developed accordingly.”
“To support this development, it is essential to have solid, reliable, and robust infrastructure,” he said, describing the scope and pace of Morocco’s economic progress as “extraordinary.”
MWN with MAP
