Maersk–APM has signed a concession agreement to develop a new container terminal at Tanger Med 3 in Morocco, in a major expansion that could boost the port complex’s annual handling capacity to 20 million containers. The agreement was announced by Morocco’s Royal Cabinet following a working session chaired by King Mohammed VI at the Royal Palace in Rabat.
The meeting reviewed progress on Tanger Med 3 and preparations for the imminent launch of the first container terminal at Nador West Med. Construction of Tanger Med 3 is expected to begin shortly. Located west of Tanger Med 2, the new terminal will feature 1,200 metres of quay and add an annual handling capacity of 4.5 million containers.
The project carries a planned investment of 8 billion Moroccan dirhams. The development will also support the expansion of Tanger Med’s passenger and roll-on/roll-off facilities, while paving the way for the eastern extension of Tanger Med 2. Once the planned developments are completed, the Tanger Med complex could handle up to 20 million containers annually, potentially placing it among the world’s 10 largest container ports, according to the Royal Cabinet.
Meanwhile, Morocco is preparing to bring the first container terminal at Nador West Med into operation within days. The terminal’s initial development will eventually provide annual handling capacity of 3.5 million containers. A second terminal, with capacity for a further 1.8 million containers annually, is scheduled to begin operations in April 2027.
Investment across the wider Nador West Med port and industrial complex has reached 54 billion dirhams, encompassing both public and private funding. Beyond container handling, the complex is being developed as a major industrial, logistics and energy hub, with dedicated facilities for hydrocarbons, liquefied natural gas (LNG), dry bulk and general cargo.