Efforts Proceed for Morocco’s New Transshipment Nador West Deepwater Port
After more than a decade of planning, progress is being made in the development of Morocco’s new Mediterranean port called Nador West Med. The first phase of the port is expected to be commissioned in 2027 increasing Morocco’s role in the growing transship container trade as well as providing additional capacity for wet and dry bulk.
The state-owned Nador West Med company awarded the first port concession focusing on container operations. They selected a domestic company, Marsa Maroc, which currently operates 24 terminals in 10 ports including the third terminal at Tangier Med, another leading transshipment port. The company received a 25-year concession and is committing €200 million toward the development of Nador West Med.
North Africa’s transshipment ports are taking on a new critical role in 2024. The closing of the Red Sea meant that containerships were diverting not following normal routes that went to ports ranging from Greece to Italy and others along the Mediterranean. Many carriers have chosen to transship containers from ports such as Tangier Med into the eastern Mediterranean and as a result, Tangier Med and others are experiencing backlogs and congestion due to the high volumes. In addition, the new EU carbon fees were also anticipated to drive more volumes into the transshipment ports as carriers worked to manage under the Fit for 55 emissions regulations and fees.
Marsa Maroc highlights that in just over three years it has grown the container transshipment business in Tangier Med where it is in partnership with Hapag-Lloyd, Eurogate International, and Contship Italia. They report a volume of 1.5 million TEU after just three years.
The new port which is designed to strengthen Morocco’s maritime and port role is located less than 250 miles from the Strait of Gibraltar on Betoya Bay. The government’s plans call for 1,520 meters (approximately 5,000 feet) of quay at a depth of nearly 60 feet. This would provide a capacity to handle 3.4 million TEU annually and they could add 4,000 feet to increase capacity by an additional 2 million TEU.
Marsa Maroc highlights that the terminals in the two ports will provide nearly 5 million TEU capacity for transshipment and a total handling capacity of 6.5 million TEU.
Plans for Nador West Med also include an oil terminal that would be able to handle 25 million tonnes annually. The coal terminal will have a capacity of 7 million tonnes and they also anticipate up to 3 million tonnes of general cargo.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) committed in 2015 to provide a €200 million loan for the development of the port. In December 2022, they provided the second tranche under the agreement providing €100 million to Nador West Med for the construction of the port. EBRD also provided technical cooperation with €1 million to assess the port’s role in the oil shipping market.
Port Of Los Angeles Calls for Proposals for New Cruise Terminal
The Port of Los Angeles issued a Request for Proposals for the construction and operation of a new Outer Harbor Cruise Terminal, along with the redevelopment and operation of the existing World Cruise Center. It is a critical part of the future plans for the port and will play an important part in helping Los Angeles expand its cruise business. Proposals are due by November 12.
“We have seen increased demand for cruises out of the LA Waterfront over the last several years, with a record 1.3 million cruise passengers in 2023,” said Port Executive Director Gene Seroka. “With more growth forecast, these projects will allow us to greatly expand our cruise business capacity while providing the best possible experience and convenience for cruise travelers.”
Los Angeles first released details on its plans to expand the cruise terminals in January 2023. Unlike other major cruise homeports, including Miami and Galveston, Los Angeles elected to develop the terminals without specific cruise partners. Some of the major cruise corporations are rumored to be reviewing the RFP and might submit proposals. They all have been anxious for enhanced facilities in the Port of Los Angeles.
They highlight that over the last two years, more than 200 cruise ships called in Los Angeles with each cruise ship calling at the port generating more than $1 million in local economic activity. Over the next five years, additional growth in cruise passengers and local economic impact is expected with larger ships of 4,000+ passenger capacity continually calling at the port. The growth, however, requires more modern and large terminals to handle the increased passenger volumes.
“Over the past 20 years, our Port has invested over $1 billion in enhancing, operating, and programming LA Waterfront infrastructure,” said Mike Galvin, the Port’s Director of Waterfront and Commercial Real Estate Development. “These two proposed cruise terminal projects represent the next stage of that investment, and the continued transformation of the waterfront into a dynamic and multi-use visitor destination.”
The proposed new Outer Harbor Cruise Terminal will be located in San Pedro and includes Berths 46 to 50. The site consists of 13 acres of backland, two existing wharves, and 20 acres of associated potential off-site parking with an estimated 2,300 spaces. For this new proposed terminal, the port is seeking a flexible design to accommodate a variety of additional non-cruise revenue-producing uses in the off-season, such as filming, conferences, and events.
The existing World Cruise Center is to be redeveloped. The terminal site consists of 22 acres, including parking, two cruise berths (Berths 90-93), two terminal buildings, and a baggage handling structure. The adjacent battleship Iowa however is not part of the project and will remain in its current location.
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