Morocco opens Africa’s largest shipyard

Morocco has inaugurated the continent’s largest shipyard in Casablanca, investing $300 million in a facility spanning 30 football fields. It has a 244-meter dry dock and specialised equipment capable of handling vessels up to 9,000 tons.

According to Moroccan-friendly Hespress, the ambitious project aims to produce 100 ships by 2040, leveraging Morocco’s extensive coastline and growing maritime infrastructure, including the Tangier-Med port, which processed 10 million containers in 2024.

This development concerns Spanish shipbuilders like Navantia, as Morocco’s competitive advantages in labour costs and regulations could attract international clients away from Southern Europe, following a pattern similar to Morocco’s successful automotive industry, which now accounts for 25% of the country’s exports.

Hespress