King Mohammed VI on Wednesday chaired a high-level working meeting at the Royal Palace in Casablanca on the Nador West Med port and industrial complex, as preparations intensify toward its operational launch scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2026.

The meeting forms part of the Royal Vision to firmly anchor Morocco’s economy within global value chains through the development of world-class port infrastructure. It highlights the strategic importance of Nador West Med as a key driver of competitiveness, industrial growth, and regional development.

During the session, Fouad Brini, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nador West Med, presented an update on the progress made to date.

The project builds on the international success of Tanger Med — now recognised as Africa’s and the Mediterranean’s leading port hub — and extends this ambition to Morocco’s eastern seaboard.

The objective is to establish an efficient, complementary national port system that strengthens economic resilience, supports job creation, and promotes balanced territorial development.

Designed as an integrated complex, Nador West Med combines a next-generation port with a vast industrial, logistics, and energy platform.

To date, the project has attracted a total of MAD 51 billion in public and private investment.

All core port infrastructure has been completed, including 5.4 kilometres of breakwaters, 4 kilometres of quays, and four power stations.

Concession contracts for the two container terminals have already been signed and are expected to progressively enter into force this year.

A major innovation of the project is the creation of an energy hub featuring Morocco’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, with an annual capacity of 5 billion cubic metres, and a hydrocarbon terminal.

This component directly supports the Kingdom’s strategic objectives for energy sovereignty.

At launch, the port is projected to handle up to 5 million containers annually, in addition to 35 million tonnes of liquid and solid bulk cargo.

Over the longer term, development potential is expected to increase capacity by an additional 12 million containers and 15 million tonnes of liquid bulk cargo per year.

The project also includes developing new activity zones covering 700 hectares in its first phase. These areas have already welcomed initial installations by international operators.

Private-sector investments currently stand at MAD 20 billion, reflecting strong confidence from leading global maritime and industrial players in Morocco’s economic prospects.

At the conclusion of the meeting, King Mohammed VI issued firm instructions to all stakeholders to ensure the project’s launch under optimal conditions.

He further called for the rapid rollout of targeted training programmes to support investors, facilitate youth integration, and strengthen employability.

The Sovereign stressed that the benefits of the investment must extend to all provinces within the port’s area of influence through territorial upgrading initiatives to improve quality of life, as well as a multidimensional action plan to safeguard the project’s long-term sustainability.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of the Interior, Abdelouafi Laftit; the Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah; the Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka; the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour; the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali; and Fouad Brini, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nador West Med.