Intense Competition for High-Speed Rail Project in Morocco
As Morocco moves forward with its ambitious high-speed rail project connecting Kenitra and Marrakech, the competition for the supply of railway tracks has reached a critical stage. Four international companies have successfully progressed to the financial offer evaluation phase, out of six groups that submitted bids in response to the call for tenders issued by the National Office of Railways (ONCF). This contract is integral to the development of the high-speed rail line and involves the procurement of specialized tracks, as well as the modernization of the traditional railway line linking Kenitra with Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech. The overall goal is to enhance the national railway network significantly.
The financial offers submitted by the qualified companies range between 179.96 million dirhams and 211.96 million dirhams, surpassing the ONCF's initial estimate of over 151 million dirhams. Notable contenders in this financial round include JSW Steel Italy, which is part of the Indian JSW Steel group, Jindal Steel from India, China Railway Materials Hong Kong & Macao, and the German firm Saarstahl Rails SAS. Among these, JSW Steel Italy has emerged as a frontrunner, presenting the most competitive bid, which not only places it in a favorable position within the bidding process but also highlights its solid track record of collaboration with the ONCF.
This high-speed rail project is a significant step towards modernizing Morocco's transportation infrastructure and improving connectivity between major cities, which is expected to boost economic growth and facilitate better movement of goods and people across the region.
As reported by anbaetv.ma.
