Alstom Vies for $1.6 Billion Morocco High-Speed Rail Contract

After the Casablanca tramways in 2016 and the trains serving the Tangier-Kénitra line since November 2018, Alstom is keen to win the contract to supply trains for the future Kénitra-Marrakech TGV line. The National Railway Office (ONCF) has launched a $1.6 billion tender for the supply of 168 trains, and the French giant hopes to win this mega contract.

But Alstom will have to convince with its offer against heavyweight competitors such as the Spanish CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) and Talgo, the South Korean Hyundai Rotem and the Chinese China Railway Rolling Stock Corp (CRRC). Buoyed by its long presence in Morocco where it has won major contracts such as the Casablanca/Tangier TGV, the French giant hopes to win the supply of the trains for the extension of the high-speed line (LGV).

A delegation from the French manufacturer exchanged between August and September with representatives of the other competitors in the running such as CAF, Talgo and Hyundai. Another delegation from Alstom has also been staying in Rabat since the beginning of this month to meet with the technical teams of the ONCF in order to adjust their technical and financial offer according to the needs and expectations of the Moroccan public operator.

The future Kénitra-Marrakech TGV line is expected to be operational in 2029, a year before the 2030 World Cup. The project is progressing at a good pace. A project management contract has been signed between the ONCF and the Franco-Moroccan consortium Egis-Systra-Novec, which had participated in the TGV project between Kénitra and Tangier. In addition, Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge is expected to be part of the delegation of President Emmanuel Macron during his next visit to Morocco.