The Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF) has awarded the project management assistance contract for the infrastructure of the high-speed line between Kenitra and Marrakech to the Franco-Moroccan consortium comprising Egis (lead), SYSTRA and Novec.
With a view to hosting the Football World Cup in 2030, organised jointly by the Kingdom of Morocco, Spain and Portugal, Morocco is speeding up the implementation of its high-speed rail network to Marrakech and plans to modernise its conventional network (RER in Casablanca, Rabat and Marrakech) by launching an unprecedented investment programme over the next 7 years. ONCF has enlisted the support of Egis, SYSTRA and Novec to help it carry out this programme.
This investment, in line with the Rail Morocco 2040 Plan, includes the extension of the existing high-speed line between Tangiers and Kenitra to Marrakech, providing a high-speed rail link between the capital Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech and Tangiers. This new infrastructure will enable trains to travel at 320km/h over 430km of new high-speed line, making Morocco's rail network one of the most modern and efficient in the world. The project is due to be inaugurated at the end of 2029, before the start of the World Cup.
This project is part of the Kingdom's policy to accelerate the decarbonisation of the transport sector, by offering users a very high-performance, low-carbon means of transport that is open to all.
The project involves assisting ONCF in the construction of 430km of new high-speed line, 130km of quadrupling of the conventional line around Casablanca (Casablanca Hub) and new stations.
The consortium that will carry out this service is made up of 3 engineering companies that have already been at the heart of the 1er high-speed line project between Kenitra and Tangiers, and therefore bring all the guarantees and skills needed to achieve this new project.
The project management assistance contract covers project management, master planning of operations, maintaining the consistency and technical optimisation of the project, as well as the overall integration of the project. The consortium will provide ONCF with its skills in managing major rail projects, as well as its technical expertise to cover the various contracts and to assist the project owner during the testing, approval and civil engineering approval phases.
