The development of this port is part of a global strategy aimed at transforming Morocco into a leading logistics platform. The country already has the port of Tanger Med, which ranks among the largest container ports in Africa and in the world.
Port operator Marsa Maroc and Nador West Med have signed a concession agreement for the 3.4m teu Nador West Med Eastern Container terminal for 25 years.
The new terminal, featuring 1,520 linear meters of quay, a depth of 18 meters, and 700,000 sq m of yard will ultimately be equipped with 15 ship-to-shore cranes and 45 rubber-tyred gantry cranes.
To implement the first phase of the Eastern Container Terminal, scheduled for commissioning in 2027, Marsa Maroc will inject an investment budget estimated at €200m ($213.6m).
Nador West Med will also be a competitor against the ports of Algeciras and Valencia in Spain due to its strategic location on the Strait of Gibraltar and its ability to accommodate large ships.
Marsa Maroc has been successfully present in the container transhipment market since January 2021, through its presence in the Tangier Med port complex, where it operates Container Terminal 3 in partnership with Hapag Lloyd, Eurogate International, and Contship Italia. CT3 has reached its full capacity, of 1.5 million teu three years after commissioning.
By positioning itself as the first operator at the NWM port complex, Marsa Maroc strengthens its position in the Mediterranean transhipment segment, by increasing its container handling capacity to 6.5m teu, with nearly 5m teu dedicated to transhipment.