The Tanger Med complex, located 40 kilometers east of Tangier, has become one of the largest industrial and logistics ports in Africa and the Mediterranean in less than twenty years. Launched in 2003 and developed in successive phases, this project illustrates Morocco’s ambition to position itself as a key player in global trade and a regional industrial hub.
Tangier Med is first and foremost a world-class port: it is currently Africa’s leading port in terms of container capacity, with over 9 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) handled in 2023. The complex includes two deepwater ports, specialized terminals for containers, vehicles, hydrocarbons, and general cargo. It is distinguished by its state-of-the-art equipment and direct connectivity with over 180 ports in 70 countries.
But Tangier Med isn’t just about its port facilities. The port is surrounded by more than 2,000 hectares of industrial zones, home to hundreds of companies operating in strategic sectors: automotive, aeronautics, chemicals, logistics, technical textiles, and renewable energy. The Renault-Nissan site, inaugurated in 2012, perfectly illustrates this dynamic: it is the largest automotive production site in Africa, capable of producing more than 400,000 vehicles per year, the majority of which are destined for export.
Tanger Med’s success is based on an integrated strategy: quality infrastructure, an attractive tax regime (free zones), rail and highway connectivity with the hinterland, simplified customs procedures, and a secure environment for investors. This model has attracted major global industry players and created tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
The Tanger Med project plays a key role in Morocco’s industrial growth. It contributes to the growth of the country’s exports, particularly in the automotive sector, and to its integration into global value chains. It also supports the national sustainable development strategy through investments in green logistics and renewable energy.
However, challenges remain: the need to strengthen local skills to meet the needs of an increasingly sophisticated industry, managing the environmental footprint in a sensitive ecosystem, and growing competition from other African and Mediterranean hubs.
Tangier Med today symbolizes an Africa that is industrializing, opening up to the world and modernizing, with infrastructures capable of competing with the largest international port and industrial complexes.
