Morocco-Spain Underwater Rail Tunnel Aims for 2040 Completion

Stakeholders are working on the realization of the underwater tunnel project between Spain and Morocco. It is expected that this tunnel will be operational by 2040, according to Challenge. A set of specifications has already been established: a 60-kilometer railway tunnel, including 28 km submerged under the Mediterranean - nearly 10 km longer than the Eurotunnel, it is specified. Moreover, three separate galleries are planned for this unique link between Tangier and Algeciras: one for passengers, one for goods, and a railway one, with an initial bidirectional section before a two-way extension.

The Spanish Society for Fixed Communications Studies across the Strait of Gibraltar (SECEGSA) is responsible for conducting two key studies, with delivery expected in September 2025. Entrusted to Herrenknecht Ibérica, the first analyzes the soils of the Camarinal threshold to define the drilling method, while the second, carried out by the Spanish Navy, assesses the seismicity of the area through a six-month monitoring campaign.

The cost of the project amounts to more than 15 billion euros. Spain, Morocco, and the European Union (EU) will co-finance the project. To date, funds have already been mobilized for the studies.

This railway link under the strait that will connect Spain and Morocco, and Africa and Europe by extension, will contribute to reducing transport and logistics costs and promoting trade between the two continents. It will also facilitate the movement of people and strengthen ties between African and European peoples. This major project constitutes a major geostrategic turning point, notes the daily La Razón.