Doha – Morocco’s government has awarded the Spanish state-owned engineering company Ineco a major contract to conduct feasibility studies and preliminary design work for urban rail services in Tangier and Tetouan, according to Spanish media reports.
The project, which represents Ineco’s largest-ever contract in Morocco, involves four key components totaling over 85 km of new rail lines to increase passenger capacity on medium-distance routes.
In Tangier, the planned work will connect the city center with the football stadium and airport, as part of 2030 World Cup preparations. A feasibility study will also be carried out for a new rail line linking Tangier with Tetouan.
Ineco will collaborate with the local firm CID on the 14-month contract, which has a budget of €2.7 million and was awarded by Morocco’s national railway operator ONCF. The project is part of Morocco’s 2040 Rail Strategy, a long-term plan to develop the country’s rail network based on analysis of future transport needs.
The strategy aims to create a dense, interconnected network of high-speed, regional, and shuttle trains, contributing to territorial development policies.
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By 2040, Morocco plans to increase rail connectivity from 23 to 43 cities, link a dozen ports and 15 airports, and extend public transport access to 87% of the population, up from 51% currently. The idea is to generate 300,000 jobs and have 87% of Moroccans using public transport. The budget for the plan is MAD 375 billion (approximately $37.5 billion).
“This contract represents our first rail project in Morocco and strengthens our presence in the country, where we are already carrying out work in the airport sector,” said Ineco President Sergio Vázquez Torrón. “It is an important step that we hope will lead to further opportunities for the Spanish rail industry.”
In addition to the rail contract, Ineco was recently selected by Morocco’s National Airports Office (ONDA) to develop an infrastructure and terminal development program for Casablanca’s Mohammed V International Airport. The goal is to identify current issues and define the size and design of infrastructure needed to handle future air traffic growth.
The contract wins come in the wake of an official visit to Morocco by Spanish Transport and Sustainable Mobility Minister Óscar Puente, who expressed to his Moroccan counterparts the interest of Spanish companies in working and collaborating with Moroccan firms in the transport sector.
