Morocco Unveils $40 Billion Rail Plan, Aims to Export Trains by 2040

Exporting wagons to Europe and Africa by 2040. This is Morocco’s ambition for the coming years. During an intervention before the Commission on Infrastructure, Energy and Mines, Abdessamad Kayouh presented the Moroccan rail plan for 2040. Designed in a participatory approach to map out the future of medium and long-term rail transport, this plan includes projects aimed at maintaining the robustness of the current network and improving its efficiency, as well as others concerning the rail connection of new ports, in line with the national strategy for the contribution and monitoring of port, industrial and logistics developments.

Projects to extend the network with railway lines at a maximum speed of 160 km/h, towards cities not currently connected to the rail service, will be launched, while taking into account the economic efficiency of the rail system and its impact on land use planning. It is also planned to launch other projects to extend the network with high-speed lines connecting exchange centers, choosing a speed system ranging between 220 and 320 km/h.

The strategy of the Ministry of Transport and Logistics is divided into three axes. The first concerns industrial activity with the creation and launch of a local train manufacturing unit, as well as the development of a system of suppliers and subcontractors. The second axis concerns maintenance: creation of a joint project between manufacturers and the national railway office to ensure regular and industrial maintenance, while monitoring costs. As for the third axis, it concerns exports. The objective is to orient the industrial production unit towards the development of exports to African and European markets.

What about the direct economic impacts of this plan? We can mention the connection of 43 Moroccan cities instead of 23 currently to the rail network, as well as the connection of 87% of the population compared to 51% currently, the connection of 12 ports against 6 currently, and that of 15 international airports instead of one. These projects, aimed at developing the rail infrastructure and improving the quality of services, could generate around 300,000 jobs, with investments estimated at 96 billion dirhams by 2030, of which 53 billion dirhams will be allocated to the construction of the high-speed rail line between Kenitra and Marrakech, as well as the development of regional rail transport on the current network.