In a speech on the occasion the 48th anniversary of the Green March, King Mohammed VI called for establishing a strong and competitive national merchant naval fleet, highlighting the need to ensure essential services and infrastructure along Morocco’s Atlantic coast.
Although the Kingdom has an important merchant Maritime fleet, “Morocco still faces a shortage in the sector,” said El Houcine Guennoun, a political scientist and analyst.
Guennoun stated in an interview with MoroccoLatestNews that the King’s speech underscored the need to bolster this fleet so that Morocco can compete with countries like China and those in the European Union.
“Morocco currently possesses ports like Tangier-Med, Nador, and Dakhla, the latter of which is poised to spark a sea trade revolution, particularly in connecting Atlantic African nations with Europe and the Americas,” Guennoun added.
Guennoun explained that “Morocco needs to strengthen its maritime commercial fleet and focus on enhancing the blue economy, aligning it with the aerial, maritime, railway, and road trade sectors.”
The analyst further added that the Tarfaya-Gargarat line, through which hundreds of trucks transit from Europe, starting from Tangier, passing through Gargarat, and extending into the heart of Africa, should have a maritime counterpart.
‘The importance of strengthening the maritime commercial fleet lies in its being an engine for development and job creation, complementing other ongoing projects in Morocco, particularly in the southern regions,” said Guennoun.
The speech emphasized the importance of enhancing the necessary infrastructure along the country’s Atlantic front.
In this regard, Gennoun said that “it’s imperative to move towards revitalizing the Atlantic front of the Sahara by boosting investments in oil and mineral exploration, promoting tourism, and establishing a strong competitive maritime commercial fleet.”
The analyst further added that “Morocco is moving beyond just security and military solutions, into development and growth. This involves supporting exchanges, creating job opportunities, and strengthening economic ties, as is the case in the Moroccan-Nigerian gas pipeline, which aims to deliver energy to Europe.”
King Mohammed VI’s speech expressed his vision for the southern region’s development. highlighting the significance of the Atlantic coast as a gateway to Africa and the Americas. The speech stressed Morocco’s commitment to transforming the region into a hub for economic integration.
The King also emphasized the need to provide essential services and infrastructure for the economic growth of the southern provinces and ensure the successful completion of large-scale projects.