Updated September 25, 2025- The Kenitra-Marrakesh high-speed rail project is of great importance to Morocco’s 2030 World Cup preparations. The rail line will serve as the main artery for the mobility of a global event. By extending the existing Al Boraq line, the 430 km high-speed route will create a seamless, rapid corridor connecting the likely host cities of Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakesh, drastically cutting intercity travel times to just a few hours.
This robust network is essential for efficiently managing the immense influx of football fans, media, and teams by providing fast, reliable, and sustainable transport between match venues, major international airports, and accommodation hubs. Also, in what will complement the Al Boraq, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI launched an ambitious $2 billion railway infrastructure project in Casablanca.
September 4, 2025
Chinese steel structure company CSCEC Steel Structure has entered the Moroccan market after securing contracts for two major infrastructure projects. Furthermore, these two contracts involve sections of Morocco’s highways and the Kenitra-Marrakesh High-Speed Rail Line.
Additionally, according to the China International Contractors Association (CHINCA), CSCEC acquired a total of three consecutive contracts in North Africa. Therefore, this means that the company will be expanding its operations to 47 countries and regions worldwide.
Factsheet of the Steel Contracts by CSCEC in Morocco
Company name: CSCEC Steel Structure. This is a subsidiary of China State Construction Engineering Corporation – CSCEC.
Key Projects in Morocco:
Project name: Kenitra-Marrakesh High-Speed Rail Line
- Specific Role: CSCEC Steel Structure has been awarded a contract to supply steel structures for the project. It’s important to note this is distinct from the steel rail contract won by CRCC. While CRCC provides the rails on which the trains run, CSCEC is providing the steel for the structures of the railway itself.
Contract Details:
- Volume: 12,600 tons of steel structures.
- Purpose: The steel will be used for various structures along the 430-kilometer line, which will link Kenitra to Marrakech. Also, this high-speed rail project is a key part of Morocco’s preparations for the 2030 World Cup.
Highway project
- Scope: construction of Steel bridges on a section of Morocco’s highways.
- Role: The company will be providing the steel structures for the construction of bridges on a highway section.
Contract details:
- Volume: 15,600 tons of steel structures.
- Purpose: The project is part of Morocco’s national highway development plan and also linked to the country’s hosting of the 2030 World Cup.
Funding: The project is funded by Morocco’s National Highway Agency.
Details of the CSCEC’s Contract in Morocco
As for the first Moroccan contract, it will involve the construction of steel bridges on the second section of the country’s highways. This project will involve a total steel structure volume of 15,600 tons.
Also, the project is being financed by Morocco’s National Highway Agency. Furthermore, it is part of preparations by Morocco for the 2030 World Cup.
Kentira-Marrakesh High-Speed Rail Steel Contracts Details
The second contract involves steel structures for the 430-kilometer Kenitra–Marrakesh high-speed rail line. This high-speed rail line is designed for speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour. Therefore, this makes it the fastest in Africa once completed. The steel volume for the Kentira-Marrakesh high-speed rail project is 12,600 tons.
Lastly, in another contract that was secured outside Morocco, CHINCA also noted that CSCEC will build a 3,000-ton steel structure for a Hisense television plant in Egypt. Also, this project is expected to enhance industrial distribution, local employment, and technological capacity.
Projects Similar to Kentira-Marrakesh High-Speed Rail in the Region
In a similar undertaking, Egypt is gearing up with its high-speed rail infrastructure. The National Authority for Tunnels, a governmental authority under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport of Egypt, and Siemens Mobility have inked a Memorandum of Understanding together with the local companies Orascom Construction S.A.E. and The Arab Contractors (Osman Ahmed Osman & Co.), to design, install and commission Egypt’s first-ever high-speed rail transportation system.
Furthermore, Siemens Mobility has been tasked with providing maintenance services. The agreement comprises a rail system with a network of 1000km. The first part will involve development of a 460km high-speed line. The order value of this initial high-speed line was approximately $3 billion.
