PROVINCE REPORT
NADOR: His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan on Saturday inaugurated the first container terminal at Morocco’s Nador West Med port, marking the launch of operations at a major industrial and maritime complex backed by public and private investments of 54 billion dirhams.
The inauguration, held on October 31, 2026, was carried out on the High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. The Crown Prince inaugurated the first container unloading operation from a commercial vessel at the East Terminal in the municipality of Laâzzanène, Nador Province.
The East Terminal, the first facility to become operational, has 1,520 metres of quay, an 18-metre draft and 70 hectares of reclaimed land. Its capacity is expected to reach 3.5 million containers by 2030, following an investment of approximately 5 billion dirhams. Its operation and maintenance have been entrusted to a joint venture between Marsa Maroc and Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), a subsidiary of the MSC Group, for 25 years.
The second container terminal, known as the West Terminal, is scheduled to become operational in April 2027. Developed by a consortium of Marsa Maroc and CMA CGM with an investment of around 3 billion dirhams, it will have 900 metres of quay and 38 hectares of reclaimed land, with an annual capacity of 1.8 million TEUs. Together, the two terminals will provide a total capacity of 5.3 million containers.
The port complex will also include several other facilities, including a roll-on/roll-off terminal with a capacity of 400,000 units, a bulk terminal designed to handle seven million tonnes, and a general cargo terminal with a capacity of three million tonnes.
An energy hub featuring liquefied natural gas and hydrocarbon terminals is also part of the project. The hydrocarbon terminal, with a capacity of 25 million tonnes and three berths measuring 125 metres each, is expected to become operational in April 2027.
The project further includes a 700-hectare industrial and logistics platform associated with private investments of 12 billion dirhams. It is expected to generate 14,000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs in the short term, while specialized training programmes will help prepare young people for employment opportunities.
To improve connectivity, a 49-kilometre railway link will connect Selouane with Nador West Med, while a 105-kilometre highway will link the complex to Guercif.
With the launch of its first container terminal, Nador West Med is set to strengthen Morocco’s national port network alongside Tanger Med. The project reflects Morocco’s ambition under the leadership of King Mohammed VI to enhance maritime and logistics competitiveness, attract industrial investment and promote economic development in the Oriental region.
