Morocco’s Gibraltar Tunnel Team Has Just 10 Staff to Oversee 120 Million Dirhams in Studies
Ten people work at the Moroccan company responsible for studies on the tunnel beneath the Strait of Gibraltar. This small team is coordinating, with its Spanish partners, an investment program worth 120 million dirhams planned for 2027.
Behind the rail link project between Morocco and Spain is a public body with a surprisingly small staff. The National Society for Studies on the Strait of Gibraltar (SNED) has ten executives and staff members: five senior managers, two engineers or equivalent-level executives, one middle manager and two operational staff. This team forms the Moroccan core responsible for coordinating the research needed to build the tunnel.
For 2027, SNED’s investment program provides for 120 million dirhams as part of joint work with its Spanish counterpart, SECEGSA. The two companies are preparing to review studies carried out over several decades. The program covers geological investigations, environmental, economic and legal aspects, as well as promotion of the future link.
Underwater sensors to study the Strait
The preparatory work involves several specialist organizations. Tectonic measurements have begun using underwater seismic sensors, known as OBS, on both sides of the Strait. Teams are also preparing to update data on the seabed’s topography and the geological characteristics of the subsurface.
The future exploratory gallery is a major part of these preparations. It is intended to allow direct examination of the ground the rail tunnel would pass through. Preliminary studies focus in particular on rock formations and excavation conditions.
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SNED is also working with the Western Mediterranean Transport Observatory (CETMO) to update traffic forecasts between Africa and Europe. Three cooperation agreements between Moroccan and Spanish technical institutions support this work. At the same time, the company has begun digitizing its archives, preparing an online portal and drawing up a roadmap for its digital transformation.
