Rabat – Morocco plans to set up a maritime navigation control center along the Atlantic corridor between Tarfaya and Laâyoune.
This move aims to tighten oversight of busy international sea routes and reinforce maritime safety in the southern Atlantic zone.
Morocco’s Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdessamad Kayouh, told lawmakers in the House of Councillors on Tuesday that the future center will operate in coordination with the Royal Navy. It will track vessels crossing the Atlantic from southern Africa and South America and passing through Moroccan waters from Lagouira toward the northern coast.
He linked the project to the conclusions of Morocco’s first National Maritime Conference, held on May 21 and 22. The gathering brought together public and private stakeholders to review the country’s maritime strategy, with particular attention to Atlantic development and regional links with Sahel states.
Kayouh said discussions during the conference dealt with governance of the maritime space, logistics and industrial upgrading, maritime safety, energy transition, and cooperation in research and training.
He also pointed to pressure on Morocco’s maritime labor market. The Higher Institute for Maritime Studies produces between 150 and 170 graduates each year, while demand stands at nearly 1,100 positions annually. He said this gap requires broader training capacity for officers and ship management professionals.
The ministry also studies a plan for a maritime university on the Mediterranean coast. The future institution would address new needs linked to digital systems, modern navigation practices, and officer education.
On mobility, Kayouh said the government places strong attention on travel flows for Moroccans living abroad during summer. The operation concerns more than 3.5 million passengers over a short period of under two months.
He said several institutions take part in the coordination effort, including the Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity, the Ministry of Interior, the Royal Gendarmerie, national security services, customs, and civil protection teams.
The ministry also works with maritime operators to ensure enough passenger capacity on routes linking Morocco with Spain, France, and Italy. New-generation vessels will serve connections between ports such as Tangier, Genoa, Sète, and Barcelona.
