Morocco–Spain Tunnel: €8.5 Billion Project Could Begin by 2030

A recent study commissioned by the Spanish government from the German company Herrenknecht confirms that building a tunnel beneath the Strait of Gibraltar is now technically possible. This SECEGSA report confirms that current technological advances make it possible to seriously consider carrying out this project despite its extreme structural complexity.

On Bladi.net : The Morocco-Spain tunnel "technically viable": will Europe and Africa soon be connected?

The future infrastructure would connect Europe and Africa via a railway extending approximately 65 kilometres in total. Of this distance, nearly 40 kilometres would be located on Spanish territory, placing the European terminal near Vejer de la Frontera for optimal integration into the existing national transport network.

The projected cost for constructing the Spanish section alone is estimated at approximately €8.5 billion. This massive investment would directly connect the new tunnel to the Cadiz–Seville railway line, thereby strengthening logistical and human exchanges between the two continents through a modern connection.

An ambitious timeline shaped by geological challenges

Drilling beneath the Camarinal Sill represents the main technical obstacle because of the particularly hostile geological conditions in this underwater area. To overcome these difficulties, Spanish and Moroccan experts are collaborating with Norwegian engineers specialising in the Rogfast project, while also receiving scientific support from the American geological institute.

Regarding planning, the Spanish government intends to begin the tendering procedures after June 2026, once the 2007 preliminary project has been updated. A joint final decision by the two countries is expected during 2027 to launch construction of an exploratory tunnel, whose completion is estimated to take between six and nine years.

On Bladi.net : Tunnel Morocco–Spain: yes, it is feasible... but not before 2040

Although the joint organisation of the 2030 World Cup could accelerate the first practical advances, experts favour a realistic launch of operations between 2035 and 2040. This timeline takes into account the unprecedented scale of the required funding and the inherent complexity of securing such an international underwater connection.