Transforming Water Resources into Industrial Opportunities
In recent years, Morocco has made significant strides in transforming its water management strategies, shifting the focus from merely securing water supplies to developing a robust national industry centered around water technology and equipment. This evolution is largely driven by the expansion of dam projects, seawater desalination plants, and improvements in irrigation infrastructure, gradually forming a value chain that integrates industrial investment, innovation, and an increase in local content.
This strategic direction was further solidified with the signing of a framework agreement in April 2026 between relevant government sectors and the Moroccan Water Professions Cluster. The goal is ambitious: to elevate the local integration rate in seawater desalination projects from approximately 30-35% to nearly 70%. This initiative focuses on enhancing national manufacturing capabilities, expanding technical expertise, and increasing the involvement of Moroccan companies at all stages of water facility development and operation.
Seawater Desalination: A Key Player in Industrial Growth
Seawater desalination has emerged as one of the pivotal areas bolstering this dynamic, given the variety of professions and equipment required for desalination plants, which range from engineering and civil works to pumping systems, piping, automation, and maintenance. While some advanced technical components, such as reverse osmosis membranes, continue to be imported, a significant portion of the value generated from these projects is now feasible for local manufacturing and production. This shift is encouraging a growing number of stakeholders to invest in the desalination sector.
For instance, the local value achieved in the OCP Green Water projects in Morocco stands at an impressive 60-70%, with plans to increase it to 80% by developing the local manufacturing of several key pieces of equipment, including pressure vessels, treatment units, filters, and certain piping components. The company aims to produce 630 million cubic meters of desalinated water annually by 2030, while simultaneously advancing research and innovation in membranes, nanomaterials, energy recovery, and the digitization of desalination processes.
This transformation extends to the infrastructures associated with water transportation, where large-diameter pipes play a crucial role in delivering desalinated water, connecting water basins, and supplying agricultural and urban areas. The expansion of water projects has bolstered the fiberglass-reinforced polyester pipe industry, with over 210 million dirhams invested in new production capacities during May and June 2026. Notably, this includes a third production line for Amiblu Maroc in Naciria, valued at 160 million dirhams, and a new FlowPipe unit in Mohammedia with an investment of 52 million dirhams.
The project linking the Safi desalination plant to Marrakech further strengthens this industrial chain, with an investment of approximately 4.2 billion dirhams aimed at transporting nearly 100 million cubic meters of desalinated water annually through over 185 kilometers of pipelines. Additionally, anticipated desalination projects in Casablanca, Dakhla, and other regions are expected to expand demand for expertise, equipment, and services related to water, thereby supporting the growth of the national industrial fabric in this domain.
Desalinated water also paves the way for an increasing intersection between the water sector and the green hydrogen industry, as electrolysis units rely on water in a production chain that combines water resources, renewable energy, and industry. Morocco is actively pursuing this direction through research and development projects focused on electrolysis technologies, aiming to convert water investments into a foundation for technology development, local manufacturing, and scalable expertise, thus enhancing the position of the water sector within Morocco's ongoing industrial transformation.
As reported by maadialna.ma.
