The connectivity of the future port of Safi to all transport networks (rail and road) is more than necessary. This is how this infrastructure will constitute a true accelerator for the launch of multiple projects in the region. The declaration is from Aziz Rabbah, Minister of Equipment, Transport, and Logistics, who was presiding, on 10 July in Rabat, over a meeting dedicated to the monitoring of the new port of Safi project and in which the secretary general of the department, central directors, as well as directors general and representatives of public establishments under supervision concerned by the project, including ADM, ANP, ONCF, and AMDL, took part.

At the opening of the session, the minister pointed out the importance of this project for the economic and social development of the Abda-Doukkala region as well as its impact on the development of the port and maritime sector and, consequently, on the national economy. To guarantee the delivery of the project within the deadlines allotted to it, that is to say in 2017, Rabbah recommended planning a field visit and dedicated quarterly meetings which will be held under his chairmanship and by associating all operators and stakeholders, including ONEE, the OCP group, and the wilaya of Safi.

The services of Aziz Rabbah affirm that the connectivity studies started a few months ago are very well advanced. The fitting out of offices, shops, laboratory, and workshop on the project site is practically completed. As a reminder, the new port of Safi is among the major projects of the port strategy by 2030.

This roadmap intends above all to structure the Moroccan port offer into six poles. "The organisation into poles will allow each of the regions of the Kingdom to promote its assets, its resources, and its infrastructures and to benefit from the economic dynamism generated by the ports and participate in the economic and social development of the country," stresses the Minister of Equipment.

The six poles are the Oriental, the North-West, Kénitra-Casablanca, Doukkala-Abda, Souss-Tensift, and the South. "The implementation of this ambitious strategy requires the mobilisation of significant financial resources over the next twenty years.

The realisation of the port infrastructure provided for in the strategy will require an investment estimated at 60 billion dirhams, or about 3 billion dirhams per year," recalls the Ministry of Equipment.

Note that the planned investments must be financed by the State, the National Ports Agency, or by sector operators through the realisation of concession contracts or through public-private partnerships. Note that the financial cost of the port projects that are currently under study or in the process of realisation is estimated at some 20 billion dirhams and concerns the Tanger Med 2 port, the Tanger-Ville port, the new port of Safi, the Nador WestMed port, in addition to the extension of the ports of Jorf, Agadir, Sidi Ifni, Tarfaya, and Dakhla.