The tunnel project linking Morocco to Spain, crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, continues to progress with the completion of a major feasibility study. An international company, specializing in tunnel drilling, was chosen to carry out this study, the value of which is estimated at 296,400 euros (approximately 3 million dirhams). The study is expected to be finalized by June 2025.
According to the Spanish newspaper The Countrythe fixed tunnel project, overseen by Morocco’s Société Nationale d’Études du Strait de Gibraltar (SNED) and Spain’s SECEGSA, could cost around 6 billion euros. Both companies, together with new budgets and additional studies, are working to move forward with the project. This is planned to connect the city of Tangier (Malabata) to Punta Paloma, 14 kilometers from Tarifa, and could accommodate around 13 million travelers per year.
The company Herrenknecht Ibérica SA, specialized in the manufacture of digging machines, won the contract to carry out the study on drilling the tunnel. This study constitutes a key step before implementing the construction of the tunnel, which represents a strategic project for mobility between Africa and Europe. However, the meeting of the Moroccan-Spanish joint commission, which was to take place last December, was postponed due to recent floods in Spain, after a previous delay last June.
As part of this ambitious project, the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, announced that an experimental tunnel will soon be built. This pilot tunnel will be used to carry out underground studies and overcome technical challenges, including managing water pressure at depths of up to 300 meters. The two countries continue to work together to update data, conduct seismic explorations and prepare the tools necessary to carry out this monumental project.
Morocco
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