In view of the 2030 World Cup, Morocco is undertaking a metamorphosis of its railway landscape with titanic investments. An envelope of 96 billion dirhams has been released, of which 29 billion will be dedicated to the acquisition of 168 new trains, 18 high-speed and 150 multi-purpose trains.
This was revealed by the Minister of Transport and Logistics, Abdessamad Kayouh, who spoke on Tuesday before the Infrastructure, Energy and Mines Committee. Detailing the components of this investment program, he indicated that 53 billion dirhams will be devoted to the construction of a high-speed line linking Kenitra to Marrakech, as well as the upgrade of the regional rail transport on the existing network. In addition, 14 billion dirhams will be allocated to the creation and rehabilitation of around 40 stations, thus ensuring the improvement of accessibility and quality of services.
The minister specified that the fleet of 18 high-speed trains planned to be acquired is intended for expansion projects of the line between Kenitra and Marrakech, while 100 trains will be dedicated to fast lines and 50 to urban transport services, with a view to modernizing the rail sector and meeting the growing needs of users.
A strategic dimension of these investments lies in Morocco’s desire to strengthen its industrial autonomy in rail transport. Kayouh stressed that the increase in the rolling stock needs of the National Railway Office (ONCF) represents a significant opportunity to develop a railway industrial system on Moroccan soil. The objective is to create a favorable environment for local train production while establishing a solid partnership between the ministry, manufacturing companies and suppliers in order to ensure regular maintenance at controlled costs.
-Furthermore, the imminent creation of a railway rolling stock factory, announced by the minister last November, is an even more promising element of this strategy. This factory would not only satisfy the needs of ONCF, but would also aim to export to several African countries, thus highlighting Morocco’s potential as a regional industrial hub.
According to the manager, these projects are part of a new contractual program between the State and the ONCF, for which an amount of MAD 87 billion has been specifically allocated to the development of the railway sector. This program encompasses an improvement in the quality of existing lines and an expansion of the high-speed train network, positioning Morocco on the path to a sustainable and internationally competitive railway future.
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