Morocco’s King Calls for Strong Merchant Fleet to Boost Atlantic Trade

In his speech to the nation on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Green March, Mohammed VI expressed his wish to see the Atlantic coast become "a center of economic integration, continental and international influence". Morocco wants to provide the necessary means of transport and logistics stations to connect the entire Atlantic coast, hence the idea of building a "strong and competitive national merchant fleet", reports EFE.

For the Moroccan monarch, the maritime economy should be based not only on "the extensive exploitation of marine natural resources", but also on "continuous investments in the sectors of maritime fishing, seawater desalination for agricultural purposes, the promotion of the blue economy and the promotion of renewable energies", as well as tourism.

Morocco is working with its African neighbors to address the "significant deficit in terms of infrastructure and investment" in the Atlantic, said Mohammed VI, referring to the oil pipeline project with Nigeria, a 7,000-kilometer gas pipeline that should run along the coasts of thirteen West African countries to reach Europe.

Morocco is committed to realizing this "strategic" project "as soon as possible", reiterated Mohammed VI, recalling that this regional integration project should enable the "economic takeoff" of the African Atlantic zone and constitute "a reliable source of energy supply for European countries".