Morocco-Saudi Arabia Maritime Route Set to Boost Trade, Opening Soon

This maritime line, long desired by Moroccan and Saudi businessmen, and in the works since 2013, will be effective in a few days. The closure of the maritime space, due to the restrictive measures against the spread of the coronavirus, partly justifies the delay in the realization of this project, which according to many experts, will "give a real boost to bilateral exchanges." Once opened "this line will infuse new dynamism into economic cooperation and trade between Morocco and Saudi Arabia," announced Khalid Benjelloun, president of the Moroccan-Saudi Business Council.

At the end of the work of the Moroccan-Saudi Business Forum (CAMS) held in Jeddah, Benjelloun stressed that "the Federation of Chambers of Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement with a shipping company to set up a direct line between Morocco and Saudi Arabia," and that it will reduce the cost of transporting goods between the two countries. Moroccan exporters will no longer have to transit through the United Arab Emirates before shipping agricultural products to Saudi Arabia.

The Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, led the Moroccan delegation to the Moroccan-Saudi Business Forum (CAMS). With figures in hand, he showed that Saudi Arabia is Morocco’s leading trade partner in the Arab world. In 2021 alone, the total value of bilateral trade amounted to 17.2 billion dirhams, or $1.76 billion. For him, this maritime line remains an investment and business opportunity for the two countries.