Morocco will open the first terminal at its Nador West Med port on the Mediterranean in the coming days and will launch work to expand the capacity of Tanger Med to 20 million containers, the royal palace said on Wednesday.

The projects are part of Morocco's drive to strengthen its position as a regional logistics and industrial hub after the success of Tanger Med, which serves as a major transshipment centre and gateway for the country's automotive industry, its leading export sector.

Nador West Med's first container terminal will have capacity for 3.5 million containers, while a second terminal capable of handling 1.8 million containers is due to enter service in April 2027, the palace said in a statement after King Mohammed VI chaired a meeting on the project.

The development has attracted 54 billion dirhams ($5.5 billion) in public and private investment.

The port will also include a hydrocarbons terminal linked to storage facilities with capacity of 4 million cubic metres, as well as a liquefied natural gas terminal capable of handling up to 5 billion cubic metres a year.

Seeking to replicate Tanger Med's success in attracting investment, authorities will connect Nador West Med to Morocco's rail and motorway networks and develop surrounding industrial zones expected to create 14,000 direct jobs.

To the west, Tanger Med - already Africa and the Mediterranean's largest port by container-handling capacity - will be expanded through the construction of Tanger Med 3, a new port featuring 1,200 metres of quay and additional capacity for 4.5 million containers a year.

The terminal will be developed and operated by Maersk's APM Terminals under a concession agreement, the statement said.

The expansion would lift Tanger Med's total capacity to 20 million containers, placing it among the world's 10 largest container ports.

King Mohammed said the projects should deliver tangible economic and social benefits for local communities and help create jobs for young people, according to the statement.

(Reuters)