Lloyd’s loading list
Morocco to invest €116 million in logistics provision
King launches major projects to begin transformation of supply chain provision across the country
Stuart Todd
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has officially launched two logistics projects in the Casablanca area, attracting total investment of more than €116 million.
One of the projects concerns building a 21.3km road, including a 4.3km coastal section, connecting the port of Casablanca to its hinterland, to facilitate the transit of HGV traffic.
The other is the creation of MITA-Casablanca – a logistics complex covering 32ha, located 6km from the port, which will be equipped with international standard warehousing.
Piloted by Moroccan state railway ONCF, first-phase development, scheduled for completion in December, will see the construction of 26,000sq metres of warehousing, 3,400sq metres of parcel distribution facilities and a 4,500sq metre business centre.
MITA-Casablanca will be developed around a dry port inaugurated in July 2009, Morocco’s premier rail freight logistics hub, offering two 600 metre-long platforms and storage capacity of 3,000teu.
As part of a long-term plan, Morocco is looking to set up around 70 logistics hubs in 18 cities by 2020.
The transformation of supply chain provision is identified as one of the main drivers of economic growth in the North African state over the next two decades and which is projected to create 36,000 jobs by 2015 and 96,000 by 2030.
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