Morocco will begin operating its second Mediterranean deepwater port, Nador West Med, in the fourth quarter of 2026, the royal palace announced.

The $5.6 billion port will open with an annual capacity of 5 million containers, expandable to 12 million, aiming to replicate the success of Tanger Med.

The facility features 5.4 km of breakwaters, 4 km of quays, four power stations, and Morocco’s first liquefied natural gas terminal with a 5 billion cubic metre annual capacity, alongside a hydrocarbons terminal.

The project includes 700 hectares for industrial and logistics activity, which has already attracted 20 billion dirhams in private investment.

At launch, the port will handle 5 million containers and 35 million tonnes of liquid and solid bulk cargo, with potential growth to 12 million containers and 15 million tonnes of liquid bulk cargo.

King Mohammed VI instructed authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure the project is launched under the best conditions, support training programs to boost youth employment, facilitate investor integration, and guarantee that the benefits of investment reach all provinces within the port’s influence zone.

He also called for territorial upgrading programs to improve the region’s quality of life and a multidimensional action plan to preserve the project’s future development.