Chinese Firm Covec Wins $130 Million Contract for Morocco’s High-Speed Rail Upgrade

Morocco has decided to renew the Chinese Covec on this project, in a "technical continuity" approach, explains Michel Viallatte, an expert in public policy, to Challenge. "It is a real issue in the choice of operators." The contract awarded to Covec includes earthworks, the construction of engineering structures, the restoration of communications and the installation of fences on the existing line in operation at the Casablanca level, we are informed.

Covec is the fourth Chinese company to be selected to carry out civil engineering work on the future high-speed line connecting Kénitra to Marrakech, after the award of contracts to CRCC 20 (2.83 billion dirhams), China Railway No.04 Engineering (3.4 billion dirhams) and Shandong Hi-Speed Engineering-Construction (4.5 billion dirhams). Local companies such as GTR, a subsidiary of Colas, TGCC, Jet Contractors and Mojazine, have also been awarded lots as part of this project.

In addition to the construction of the high-speed line, the project also includes the connection to the existing network, the modernization of the stations and the implementation of maintenance infrastructure. The objective is to improve the efficiency of rail transport and boost the local economy.

Morocco had launched in 2014, under the impetus of Aziz Rabbah, then Minister of Equipment, Transport and Logistics, the development of the national railway strategy by 2040, entitled Plan Rail Maroc 2040. This document is the kingdom’s master plan for the modernization and development of the rail network. It aims to extend 1,500 km of high-speed rail lines and to provide the major Moroccan cities with tramway and RER in order to improve urban mobility.