Morocco secures US$112 million loan for port strategy
The French Development Agency loan will fund infrastructure, renewable energy, and fishing port modernization until 2030.
Morocco's National Ports Agency has secured US$112 million in financing from the French Development Agency (AFD) for its 2023-2030 investment programme. The 13-year loan, signed in Rabat on November 3, 2026, will support upgrades to port infrastructure, renewable energy and desalination facilities, fishing ports, and port quay electrification.
The financing specifically targets ports in southern Morocco, including Tan-Tan, Tarfaya, Laâyoune, Boujdour, Dakhla, and Lamhiriz, aiming to boost regional economic development and strengthen the country's Atlantic coast position. This loan is structured as a non-sovereign loan, placing repayment risk on the agency rather than the Moroccan government.
Moroccan ports processed 262.6 million tonnes of cargo in 2025, an increase of 8.9% from 241.2 million tonnes in 2024, with Tanger Med handling 10.3 million TEUs. The development of southern ports like Dakhla and Laâyoune is intended to capture transit trade with Sahel economies, a market currently served by West African ports.
Why it mattersMoroccan businesses and the national economy will benefit from improved port infrastructure and expanded trade routes.