Nador (GNP): Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan has launched operations at the first container terminal of the Nador West Med port, acting on the high instructions of King Mohammed VI. The launch took place on Saturday, October 31, 2026, in Nador province. It marks the start of operations at an industrial and port complex that has drawn 54 billion dirhams in public and private investment.
The Crown Prince opened the new chapter with the first unloading of a container from a commercial vessel at the “East” terminal, in the municipality of Laâzzanène. That first lift begins the operational phase of a project meant to strengthen Morocco’s port capacity and support the industrial and logistical growth of the Oriental region.
The East terminal is the first facility to go live. It has 1,520 metres of quayside, an 18-metre draft and 70 hectares of reclaimed land. Its capacity is expected to reach 3.5 million containers by 2030. The terminal cost roughly 5 billion dirhams, and its operation and maintenance have been entrusted for 25 years to a group made up of Marsa Maroc and Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), a subsidiary of the MSC group.
A second container terminal, “West”, is scheduled to open in April 2027. It has been awarded to a consortium of Marsa Maroc and CMA CGM, at an investment of about 3 billion dirhams. With 900 metres of quayside and 38 hectares of reclaimed land, it will handle 1.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Together, the two terminals will lift the port’s announced capacity to 5.3 million containers.
Container traffic is only part of the plan, as the complex is designed to diversify its activities. A roll-on/roll-off terminal, delivered in September 2026, has a capacity of 400,000 units. A bulk terminal for 7 million tonnes is due in June 2027, and a general cargo terminal for 3 million tonnes is expected to enter service in December 2028.
The project also includes an energy hub with a liquefied natural gas terminal and a hydrocarbon terminal. The hydrocarbon terminal will have a capacity of 25 million tonnes and three 125-metre berths, and it is expected to be operational in April 2027.
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The industrial side of the project is just as significant. The complex houses a 700-hectare industrial and logistics platform, linked to 12 billion dirhams in private investment. Nador West Med is expected to create 14,000 direct and 20,000 indirect jobs in the short term. In line with royal directives, training programmes tailored to the new activities will help young people enter the workforce.
Better access will support this growth. A 49-kilometre rail link will connect Selouane to Nador West Med, while a 105-kilometre highway will provide a connection from Guercif.
With its first terminal now in service, Nador West Med is beginning to take its place in the national port system alongside Tanger Med. The development reflects King Mohammed VI’s ambition to strengthen Morocco’s logistics competitiveness, attract new industrial investment and ensure that the regions benefit from the economic spin-offs of major port projects.
Managing Editor at Global News Pakistan (GNP), with a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from Riphah International University, graduated with a Gold Medal. Reach out at sabahtareengnp@gmail.com
