French Firms Vie for a Share of Morocco’s 96 Billion Dirham Rail Investment
A delegation of French companies begins a mission in Casablanca on Tuesday to explore major Moroccan mobility markets. Rail investments have reached 96 billion dirhams, with several contracts already awarded to French groups.
The mission runs from September 29 to October 1. Organized by the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Morocco with Team France Export, it is intended to put participating companies directly in touch with Moroccan decision-makers and potential partners, says CCI France International.
The main market presented to industrial companies is rail. ONCF is rolling out a 96 billion dirham program, including 53 billion for infrastructure and equipment for the Kénitra-Marrakech high-speed line and future regional services.
Another 29 billion dirhams is funding the purchase of 168 trains: 18 high-speed trainsets supplied by France’s Alstom, 40 intercity trains ordered from Spain’s CAF and 110 commuter trainsets awarded to South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem. The remaining 14 billion covers, among other things, the construction or renovation of around 40 stations and efforts to maintain the network’s performance. The Moroccan rail program has already entered its industrial phase.
French groups have already secured a foothold
The Casablanca meeting is not focused solely on rail. The CFCIM is also highlighting the planned purchase of 3 796 buses, ticketing and passenger information systems, as well as port and airport projects.
French companies are not entering an untouched market. Colas has already secured three contracts on the Kénitra-Marrakech high-speed line worth nearly 430 million euros. Its subsidiary GTR will carry out a 180 million euro civil engineering package, while Colas Rail will work on the tracks, overhead lines, substations and projects on existing lines, according to the French group.
Egis and Systra are also leading project management assistance for the new high-speed line, alongside Morocco’s Novec. Alstom, for its part, won the order for the 18 high-speed trainsets. The various rail contracts have therefore already been divided among several Moroccan and foreign groups.
The French mission is now targeting the contracts still up for grabs around these major projects: equipment, maintenance, digital systems, engineering, stations, urban transport and passenger services. Registered companies will benefit from B2B meetings arranged according to their business activities.
