Morocco: The contracts between the South Korean and Spanish companies and the national operator ONCF will follow the tender announced in December 2023. The entire new fleet will be in service before the 2030 FIFA World Cup. In addition to the trains, the operator also expects to have facilities and depots built in the country.
Hyundai Rotem will supply 110 double-deck trains with a maximum speed of 160 km/h. Similar trains are operating in Australia (pictured above). This contract, worth MAD 18 bln ($1.5 bln), is the largest ever and the first in Africa. Part of the trains will be produced in Morocco, while 90% of the components will be supplied by 200 South Korean companies. The 20-year maintenance of the fleet will be carried out in cooperation with Korail.
Render of the EMU project by CAF for Morocco. Source: CAF
According to the Spanish manufacturer’s official statement, the contract is for 30 EMUs, with an option for an additional 10 trains. The order, worth €600 mln excluding the option, will be supported by funds from the Spanish Government’s FIEM (Business Internationalisation Fund). The trains to be built by CAF, each with a capacity of more than 500 passengers, will operate on the Fez-Marrakech and Kenitra-Fez lines at a speed of 200 km/h.
In October 2024, Alstom won the contract for 18 high-speed trains in the same tender.
