Casablanca Airport: Morocco relies on Spanish expertise

The economic relations between Morocco and Spain are strengthening. The National Airports Office (ONDA) is renewing its trust in the Spanish public engineering firm, Ineco, which not only was associated with the previous extension project of Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca, but it was also responsible for carrying out the project of study, analysis and reorganization of the Moroccan airspace with a view to developing a new air navigation system, reports El Pais. This time, ONDA has entrusted it with the development of the Mohammed V Airport Development Program. Ineco will have to analyze the aeronautical infrastructures and terminals of Casablanca airport.

The Spanish public company will have to define the expected traffic between 2040 and 2050; assess the possibilities of improvement in management, in search of greater efficiency, and draw up a map with the necessary connections by both road and rail to facilitate intermodality (Terminal 1 has a train station). The team of Spanish engineers will also set the stages for the execution of the expansion works. The budget of the contract entrusted to this Spanish multinational public company with private management, dependent on the Ministry of Transport, is more than 500,000 euros. The project could serve as a basis for works that Spanish builders will opt for.

The signing of the contract will take place this Wednesday, on the sidelines of the visit of the Spanish Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, to Rabat. The president of Ineco is part of the ministerial delegation.

He has highlighted the opportunities opening up for the infrastructure sector in Morocco: "Morocco is going to give a boost to its transport infrastructure and its relations with Spain are at a favorable moment. A promising stage is therefore opening up for Spanish engineering and construction companies in a country where French companies have traditionally occupied a majority position in the market. With this project, we are consolidating our leadership as airport planners. The key value that we have brought to the transformation of the airport network in Spain, as well as to the development of master plans in Colombia, Mexico, Greece and Cape Verde, represents an experience that positions Spanish engineering in the lead".

Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca is located in the city of Nouaceur, 30 kilometers southeast of Casablanca. It covers more than 36% of national air traffic and welcomes around 9.8 million passengers in 2023, an increase of 28% compared to the previous year. The largest football stadium in Morocco will be built near this airport for a budget of 5 billion dirhams (457 million euros). With a capacity of 113,000 seats, it could host the World Cup final that Morocco will host.