- Korean Company, Hyundai Rotem, Eyeing a Business Contract of $1.6 billion for Providing 168 Trains to the Moroccan National Railways
- Moroccan Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mohammed Abdeljalil, holds a meeting with his Korean counterpart, Sangwoo Park
- Hyundai Rotem aims to build a train manufacturing plant in Morocco and transfer related technology to the kingdom: Lee Young-bae
- The companies from Korea, Spain, France and China, also vying for the bidding.
- Railway network in Morocco is sophisticated, spanning over a length of 2,067 kilometers
- The Kingdom of Morocco aims modernization and expansion of the train network
By: Muhammad Arif, Editor NSN.Asia
Marrakesh: Korean company, Hyundai Rotem, has intensified its efforts to win contract of $1.6 billion aimed at providing 168 trains to the Moroccan National Railways Office (ONCF), according to a press report.
In this regard, Moroccan Minister of Transport and Logistics, Mohammed Abdeljalil, held a meeting with his Korean counterpart, Sangwoo Park, last week.
The Korean Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Park Sang-woo, made an official visit to Morocco, last week, with the aim of supporting his country’s efforts to export these trains.
The two parties have discussed ways to enhance cooperation in the transport sector, with a particular focus on railways.
In the remarks during meeting, the Korean side expressed its readiness to share expertise with Morocco in railway industry and infrastructure, including the transfer of skills in railway maintenance and construction, as well as human resources training.
On the sidelines of this meeting, Hyundai Rotem CEO, Lee Young-bae, met with the Moroccan Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, to showcase the high-speed electric traction trains “KTX”.
Young-bae also announced the company’s intention to build a train manufacturing plant in Morocco and transfer related technology to the kingdom.
The Kingdom of Morocco aims modernization and expansion of the train network, and is currently planning to purchase 904 train cars worth 3.52 billion euros. The companies from Korea, Spain, France and China vying for the bidding.
The railway network in Morocco is sophisticated, spanning over a length of 2,067 kilometers and consists of main lines linking the main cities in Morocco, such as Tangier, Rabat, Marrakesh, and Fez, and branch lines links small cities and towns to the main centers.
Most of the railway lines in Morocco are operated by electric trains, and the first railway line built in Morocco was between the city of Fez and the port of Mers-El-Kebir in 1911, and the railways were nationalized in 1968.
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