Under the High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan officially launched operations at the East Container Terminal of Nador West Med Port on Saturday, 31 October 2026. The launch marks a major milestone in the operationalisation of this new strategic industrial and port complex for Morocco.
Equipped with 1,520 linear metres of quay, a draught of 18 metres and 70 hectares of container yards, the East Container Terminal is expected to reach an annual handling capacity of 3.5 million TEUs by 2030. Backed by an investment of approximately MAD 5 billion, the terminal will be operated by Marsa Maroc and Terminal Investment Limited (TIL), a subsidiary of the MSC Group, the world’s leading container shipping company. On this occasion, the Crown Prince officially launched the first container discharge operation from a commercial vessel.
Port development will continue with the commissioning of the West Container Terminal, scheduled for April 2027. Awarded under a concession to the Marsa Maroc–CMA CGM consortium, this terminal will feature 900 metres of quay, 38 hectares of container yards and an annual handling capacity of 1.8 million TEUs. This will bring the port’s total container handling capacity to 5.3 million TEUs. Marsa Maroc also plans to operate a general cargo terminal from 2029, as part of an overall investment programme worth MAD 10 billion.
Beyond container handling, Nador West Med will incorporate several specialised facilities, including a bulk terminal with an annual capacity of 7 million tonnes, a general cargo terminal with a capacity of 3 million tonnes, and a roll-on/roll-off (Ro-Ro) terminal capable of handling 400,000 units. The complex will also include facilities dedicated to hydrocarbons, with a handling capacity of 25 million tonnes and storage capacity of up to 4 million cubic metres, as well as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal capable of handling up to 5 billion cubic metres per year.
With public and private investments totalling MAD 54 billion, the Nador West Med complex aims to strengthen Morocco’s position in international maritime trade and complement the port offering of Tanger Med. Its development is accompanied by a 700-hectare industrial and logistics platform, attracting MAD 12 billion in private investment. The platform already hosts one operational factory, while three others are under construction.
In the long term, the project is expected to contribute to the creation of 14,000 direct jobs and 20,000 indirect jobs. To support its development, several connectivity infrastructure projects are also planned, including the Selouane–Nador West Med railway link, the Guercif–Nador West Med motorway and the modernisation of the surrounding road network.
With the launch of operations at its first container terminal, Nador West Med has reached a decisive milestone in its ambition to become a major port, industrial, logistics and energy hub in the Mediterranean.
