Efforts are accelerating between Rabat and Madrid to revive the marine tunnel project that will connect “Punta Paloma” in Spain and “Punta Malabata” in Morocco. It is expected that this huge project will be completed before Morocco, Spain and Portugal host the 2030 World Cup.
The idea of this tunnel dates back to the 1930s, when it was first proposed as a way to connect Africa and Europe. According to a report published by The Telegraph, the probability of this project being implemented is currently estimated at 3 out of 5.
In 1979, the project witnessed an important step after the signing of an agreement between the Kings of Spain and Morocco to conduct feasibility studies, which led to the establishment of two specialized institutions: the first Spanish under the name “SECEGSA”, and the second Moroccan “SNED”.
After a long period of hiatus since 2009, the project returned to the spotlight during a high-level meeting in February 2023 in the Moroccan capital, and in April of the same year a three-year work plan was agreed upon, including the preparation of technical and financial feasibility studies for the tunnel.
The anticipated tunnel extends for a distance of 38.5 kilometers, including 27.7 kilometers under the sea level, and connects the “Punta Paloma” area near Tarifa, Spain, with the Moroccan city of Tangier. SECEGSA confirmed that the project will strengthen transportation networks between the two countries and create a new space for cooperation between the European Union and the Moroccan region. Arabic.
According to the Spanish authorities, the tunnel will reduce the travel time between Madrid and Casablanca to only five and a half hours, compared to the current 12-hour trip via car and ferry. The tunnel is also expected to bring about a qualitative shift in commercial and tourism relations between the two shores.
As implementation plans accelerate, it is expected that the tunnel will be ready before hosting the 2030 World Cup, which will make it a symbol of regional cooperation and a new bridge linking two continents.
