Morocco awards Casablanca airport contract worth over $1bn

A consortium of two Moroccan construction companies has reportedly won a project worth over $1 billion to expand King Mohammed V airport in the western Atlantic port of Casablanca.

The combined partnership of SGTM and TGCC emerged as the sole remaining bidder after Turkish competitor Kalyon Insaat was eliminated during administrative and technical evaluation, Moroccan media reported this week. 

The bid opening for one of the largest airport expansions in Morocco took place on Tuesday, following an international tender launched in early November.

The National Airports Office had initially estimated project costs at MAD12 billion ($1.2 billion), including taxes. 

The winning consortium’s offer totals MAD12.88 billion, with work scheduled to span 40 months across nine major construction phases.

The new terminal will accommodate nearly 20 million passengers annually, expandable to 30 million across 600,000 square metres. 

Designed in an “H” configuration with a central processor and two jetties, the facility will connect directly to the Tangier-Marrakech high-speed rail line.

The project includes construction of a new runway and control tower, though aeronautical infrastructure and specific equipment will be awarded through separate tenders, according to the reports.

Initial market interest was substantial, with 28 companies submitting expressions of interest in May. Nearly half were Chinese, including Sinohydro Corporation and China Civil Engineering Construction.

Spanish, Turkish, Egyptian, French, Indian, Swiss and Canadian companies also participated. 

The project is part of a $41 billion infrastructure development programme launched by Morocco in preparation for the 2030 football World Cup.

In June, Morocco approved a $3 billion plan dubbed “airports 2030” which aims to increase the number of passengers using its airports to a record 80 million.

The plan, outlined by Morocco’s transport minister Abdul Samad Qayouh in parliament, involves the expansion of facilities and the construction of new airports.

Nearly half the targeted number of passengers will be achieved through the expansion of the airport in Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city and business hub.

Qayouh said the plan also comprises quadrupling the fleet of Royal Air Maroc from around 50 to more than 200 aircraft by 2037.

• Morocco bids to become solar panel exporter with $800m plant
• Morocco approves $41bn in World Cup infrastructure spending
• Moroccan World Cup stadium builder plans float