A French-Moroccan consortium comprising Aegis (main contractor), Systra, and Novick has secured a Kentira-Marrakech High Speed Rail Contract to provide project management assistance to Morocco’s National Railway Office (ONCF) for the high-speed rail infrastructure between Kenitra and Marrakech. The consortium will support ONCF in constructing 430 kilometers of new high-speed lines, quadruple 130 kilometers of conventional lines around Casablanca, and also to set up new stations.
Additionally, the consortium will provide both comprehensive project management and also master planning, ensuring technical consistency and optimization throughout the project. Leveraging its expertise in managing large-scale railway projects, the consortium will support ONCF in various contract phases, including its testing and civil engineering approvals.
Egis Beats Ineco to Win the Kentira-Marrakech High Speed Rail Contract
Despite its Spanish competitor requesting a lower fee for their services, Egis Rail in collaboration with Systra and Novec, has won the contract for project management assistance for the high speed rail infrastructure between Kénitra and Marrakech.
Spanish company Ineco had submitted a bid that would cost Morocco 1.309 billion dirhams, while Egis asked for 1.385 billion dirhams (USD 138.5 million), nearly 80 million dirhams (USD 8 Million) more.
Moreover, as Morocco prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal, it is accelerating the implementation of its high-speed rail network in Marrakech and launching an unprecedented seven-year investment program to modernize its conventional rail network,» the consortium announced.
Completion Date of the Project
Aligned with Morocco’s Railway Plan 2040, the Aegis consortium will extend the existing high-speed line from Tangier to Kenitra southward to Marrakech, connecting Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech via high-speed train (TGV). This new 430-kilometer high-speed line will enable trains to reach speeds of 320 kilometers per hour, positioning Morocco’s rail network among the world’s most modern and efficient. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2029, ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
The ONCF has entrusted the consortium led by Egis Rail with the execution of the major high-speed rail project and the oversight of the 450-kilometer Kénitra-Marrakech segment, designed to operate at speeds of up to 320 km/h. This role is distinct from the separate task of conducting an external review of preliminary studies, which has also been awarded to Egis Rail.
In November 2022, the ONCF issued a clarification after Egis announced via a press release that the high-speed rail line Kénitra-Marrakech had been awarded to a French company, leading to considerable public confusion. Some media outlets reported that “Morocco had awarded the high-speed rail line to a French firm.” Also, the ONCF clarified that Moroccan engineering remained the primary entity for the studies under the international tender, which included a national preference clause.
Morocco’s 2040 Railway Plan
The country already has Africa’s only operational high-speed rail line, and its transport agency, the Office National des Chemins de Fer (ONCF) intends to expand the network from 200 miles of high-speed rail to 800 miles in the next 16 years.
The plan, known as the ONCF 2040 Rail Strategy, aims to connect major cities, modernize conventional rail services, and foster economic development across the country.
Lastly, the cornerstone of the 2040 strategy is the extension of the Al Boraq high-speed line, currently running between Tangier and Casablanca. Opened in 2018, this 200-mile route is Africa’s only operational high-speed rail line. The journey takes only two hours; it took five hours by conventional rail.
Also read: Morocco’s 1,300 Kilometer High Speed Rail to be Constructed by 2040
375km Kentira-Marrakech high-speed railway Tender Issued in Morocco
Morocco-Spain High-Speed Rail Route Set to Link Madrid to Casablanca
