Morocco’s ambitious high-speed rail expansion took a significant leap forward this week as the National Railways Office (ONCF) launched a major call for tenders to oversee technical inspections on key infrastructure planned along the Kenitra-Marrakech corridor.
The tender, unveiled on June 24, 2025, focuses on the inspection of stations and maintenance centres along the planned route of the high-speed train line (LGV), which aims to link the northern city of Kenitra to the bustling tourism and business hub of Marrakech.
Estimated at nearly 5 million dirhams (approximately €456,000), the contract is divided into five regional lots stretching from Rabat to Benguerir.
The ONCF will announce the selected companies by July 17.
A noteworthy feature of the tender is the ONCF’s inclusion of a 10% preference margin for Moroccan firms, a strategic move aimed at bolstering the national industrial base and encouraging local technical expertise to participate in one of the country’s most transformative infrastructure projects.
According to ONCF guidelines, the individual project values range from 680,000 to 1.18 million dirhams, excluding taxes.
This allocation structure is designed to ensure comprehensive inspection and compliance across the entire span of the LGV extension, laying the groundwork for reliable and high-performance operations once construction begins.
The Kenitra-Marrakech high-speed rail extension is a cornerstone of Morocco’s broader Rail Maroc 2040 strategy, which envisions a modern, interconnected transport network to drive economic growth, reduce regional disparities, and position Morocco as a key logistics hub between Europe and West Africa.
This latest development underscores Morocco’s steady commitment to sustainable mobility and advanced infrastructure, setting the stage for a rail future that mirrors the nation’s broader aspirations of innovation and global competitiveness.
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