The Moroccan port of Nador West Med has begun commercial operations with the opening of its first container terminal, operated by a consortium comprising Marsa Maroc and Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), a subsidiary of the MSC shipping group. The inauguration took place on October 31, at a ceremony presided over by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, during which the first unloading operation was carried out for a container from a commercial vessel.
The start of operations at this infrastructure marks the beginning of activity at the industrial and port complex of Nador West Med, located on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast. To date, the project has mobilized 54 billion dirhams in public and private investment, earmarked for the development of port, logistics, industrial, and energy facilities.
The so-called East Terminal has 1,520 linear meters of quay, a depth of 18 meters, and an area of 70 hectares. Its handling capacity will gradually increase to reach 3.5 million TEU annually by 2030, according to projections communicated by the Moroccan authorities.
The facility required an investment of approximately 5 billion dirhams, and its operation and maintenance have been awarded to the consortium formed by Marsa Maroc and TIL under a 25-year concession. The latter company belongs to the MSC group, which operates port terminals in various international markets.
Nador West Med will add a second container terminal, scheduled to begin operations in April 2027. Known as the West Terminal, it will have 900 meters of quay, an area of 38 hectares, and a capacity of 1.8 million TEU annually.
Its development involves an investment of approximately 3 billion dirhams, and the concession has been awarded to a consortium comprising Marsa Maroc and CMA CGM. Once both facilities are operational, the port is expected to have a combined capacity of 5.3 million TEU annually.
The complex will also include other infrastructure for different types of maritime traffic. This includes a 22-hectare general cargo terminal, with a capacity of three million tonnes and scheduled to begin operations in December 2028. A bulk terminal with a capacity of seven million tonnes is also planned, with delivery scheduled for June 2027.
The facilities include a terminal for vehicle traffic, with 380 meters of quay and an annual capacity of 400,000 units, which was delivered in September 2026.
The project also includes an energy area comprising a liquefied natural gas terminal, with a planned capacity of 5 billion cubic meters, and another terminal for hydrocarbons, designed for 25 million tonnes and equipped with three berths measuring 125 meters. The latter is scheduled to begin operations in April 2027.
In the industrial and logistics sector, Nador West Med includes a 700-hectare platform, associated with 12 billion dirhams in private investment. Official projections estimate the creation of 14,000 direct jobs and a further 20,000 indirect jobs in the short term.
The development of the complex also includes new land connections, including a 49-kilometer railway link between Selouane and Nador West Med and a 105-kilometer highway connection from Guercif.
The launch of operations at Nador West Med is part of Morocco’s port development program, which also includes the expansion of Tanger Med through the construction of a new container terminal, Tanger Med 3. Both projects are part of the country’s maritime, industrial, and logistics infrastructure planning.
