The first container terminal of Nador West Med is due to enter into operation in the coming days, while the construction of Tangier Med 3 is due to start soon. The two projects represent several billion dirhams of investment and must increase the port capacity of Morocco.
On October 28, 2026, King Mohammed VI presided over a working session at the Royal Palace of Rabat on the advancement of the harbour and industrial complex of Nador West Med and the extension of Tangier Med.
According to the information presented at this meeting, the initial phase of the first container terminal in Nador West Med will be operational in the coming days.
The complex, which combines port infrastructure, industrial areas and logistics and energy platforms, has so far mobilized 54 billion dirhams of public and private investment.
In the long term, the first container terminal will have a capacity of 3.5 million 20-foot equivalents (TEUs) per year. A second terminal, with a capacity of 1.8 million TEUs, is expected in April 2027. The two facilities account for 8 billion dirhams of private investment.
The project also includes a hydrocarbon terminal, backed by a potential storage capacity of 4 million cubic metres, as well as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal capable of handling up to 5 billion cubic metres per year. However, the timetable for commissioning these energy equipment was not specified.
The industrial area is already home to an active plant and three others are under construction. In the short term, the complex is expected to generate 14,000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs, according to the data presented at the meeting.
At the same time, the work of the new port Tanger Med 3 is to start soon to the west of Tangier Med 2. The project provides 1,200 metres of docks and an additional capacity of 4.5 million TEUs per year for an investment of 8 billion dirhams. The concession of the future container terminal has been awarded to the Danish Maersk group and its subsidiary APM Terminals.
The development will also be accompanied by the extension of the port dedicated to passengers and ro-ro ships, as well as an extension to the east of Tangier Med 2. Once the new equipment is completed, the total capacity of the Tangier Med complex could reach 20 million TEUs.
The implementation of these projects is accompanied by investment in connection infrastructure. In Nador West Med, the Selouane-Nador West Med rail link, the Guercif-Nador West Med motorway and the upgrading of the road network must facilitate the movement of goods to the hinterland.
For Tangier Med, the extension aims to respond to the growth of container flows and to maintain the capacity of the complex in the face of the evolution of international shipping.
During the working session, Mohammed VI also called for economic and social benefits to be provided to the provinces concerned and called for accelerated training programmes tailored to the needs of the new activities.
