Agadir – Morocco has authorized the National Railway Office (ONCF) to establish a joint venture with South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem to maintain the country’s future Regional Express Rail (RER) trains. Morocco’s official gazette confirmed the news on September 21.
The move follows ONCF’s agreement with Hyundai Rotem to provide long-term maintenance for the new electric trains that the South Korean company is supplying to Morocco.
ONCF awarded Hyundai Rotem a contract in February 2025 to supply 110 RER trains. The order covers 60 rapid trains and 50 metropolitan trains as part of the railway operator’s efforts to expand and modernize its rolling stock.
The two companies subsequently signed a 20-year maintenance agreement in Rabat on June 18 this year. Hyundai Rotem said the agreement covers maintenance, spare-parts management, and technical support for all 440 train cars included in its supply contract with ONCF.
The maintenance program has a value of KRW 748.2 billion ($487.3 million), according to Hyundai Rotem. The company described it as its largest overseas railway maintenance contract.
Joint venture to support long-term maintenance
The maintenance agreement provides for the work to be carried out through a joint venture between ONCF and Hyundai Rotem.
The partnership will support the maintenance and repair of the 440 train cars over 20 years, while also covering spare parts and technical support, Hyundai Rotem said.
The joint venture also builds on ONCF’s broader strategy to develop local railway expertise and industrial capabilities.
When ONCF announced the award of its train contracts in 2025, it said the agreements included industrial compensation commitments aimed at developing railway-related activities in Morocco. The railway operator also said the contracts would be accompanied by long-term maintenance partnerships with the selected manufacturers.
The new maintenance partnership therefore represents a further step in implementing the industrial and operational arrangements linked to Morocco’s acquisition of the new RER fleet.
Supporting Morocco’s railway expansion
The Hyundai Rotem trains are part of ONCF’s wider program to strengthen Morocco’s railway network and expand passenger services.
The railway operator said the 110 RER trains would contribute to the development of intercity and metropolitan services, while the industrial commitments linked to the contracts aim to strengthen Morocco’s railway ecosystem.
Hyundai Rotem said the new trains are expected to operate on routes connecting major cities centered around Casablanca as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
