Cancellation of Casablanca Shipyard Tender by Morocco's National Ports Agency
In a significant development within the maritime sector, Morocco's National Ports Agency (ANP) has officially terminated the tender process aimed at selecting a private operator for the new Casablanca shipyard. This decision, which marks the conclusion of an 18-month effort to secure a 30-year concession, was reported by _Médias24_ on September 30, 2026. The ANP's board has adopted a fresh strategic direction that emphasizes national sovereignty, as indicated by sources familiar with the matter. All three remaining bidders have been informed of this cancellation via letter, underlining that the decision was not influenced by the candidates or their respective bids.
According to the same sources, this strategic pivot aligns with Morocco's ambitions to bolster its domestic maritime and industrial sector, particularly in light of King Mohammed VI's call on November 6, 2023, for the establishment of a robust and competitive national merchant fleet. The Casablanca shipyard itself represents a substantial investment of approximately MAD2.6 billion (around $260 million) and remains non-operational at this stage. The cancellation specifically pertains to the concession process, which had been initiated in April 2025 with the intention of selecting an operator responsible for the yard's development, equipment management, and ongoing operations.
Details of the Bidding Process and Future Implications
The ANP's tender attracted a range of bidders, each vying for the opportunity to oversee the shipyard's operations. Among the final contenders were a consortium comprising Somagec, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Kuzey Star Shipyard; another consortium made up of Radi Holding, Marina Meridional, and Ningbo Xinle Shipbuilding Group; and the Italian company San Giorgio del Porto. The proposals submitted included various fee structures, with the consortia offering fees ranging from two to 2.5 percent and four percent of annual turnover, while San Giorgio del Porto proposed a lower fee of one percent.
Construction of the shipyard commenced in 2015 as part of a broader redevelopment initiative for the Casablanca port. However, a previous concession process launched in 2019 concluded without an award, and Naval Group had withdrawn from negotiations with the ANP as recently as April 2023. The shipyard's infrastructure includes a dry dock measuring 244 meters by 40 meters, a 9,000-ton capacity ship-lifting platform, a 62-meter by 13-meter basin with a lifting capacity of 450 tonnes, 820 meters of fitting-out quays, and 21 hectares of operational land. This cancellation raises questions about the future of the shipyard and the potential for revisiting the competitive bidding process in alignment with Morocco's maritime ambitions.
As reported by bairdmaritime.com.
