Morocco is reaping the benefits of its "ambitious" strategy to place ports at the center of its economic development, said Geraint Evans, CEO of the UK Major Ports Group (UKMPG).
Highlighting the great importance of the projects inaugurated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI on Thursday, as part of the restructuring and development of the Casablanca Port Complex, Mr. Evans noted, in a statement to MAP, that many countries can learn from Morocco's recognition of the crucial role that ports play in the economy of today and tomorrow.
In this context, he stressed that the expansion of the Kingdom's ports "is welcome", welcoming, at the same time, the recent decision of the DP World group, an international port infrastructure operator, to launch a maritime service directly linking Morocco to the United Kingdom and Northern Europe.
These developments “form a key part of our ambition within UKMPG to further strengthen international links with our major ports.”
Established in 1993, UKMPG is the trade body for the UK's leading port operators, representing nine of the country's top ten port operators. Collectively, its members manage 75% of the UK's port volumes through 40 ports.
| Read More: TOC Africa 2025: TARIFFS & TENSIONS… How do we move forward? |
The projects inaugurated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI as part of the restructuring and development program of the Casablanca Port Complex aim to strengthen the economic and tourist influence of this metropolis.
Their aim is to establish the Casablanca metropolis as a leading economic and financial hub on a continental scale, fully open to the international market.
Mobilizing investments of around 5 billion dirhams, these projects involved the development of a fishing port, the construction of a new shipyard, the development of a cruise terminal and the construction of an administrative complex bringing together all the stakeholders of the port of Casablanca.
These projects, carried out by the National Ports Agency, reflect the constant desire of His Majesty the King to provide the economic capital of the Kingdom with modern infrastructure, meeting international standards, capable of giving lasting impetus to the renewal of the metropolis and meeting the legitimate aspirations of its inhabitants.
