Casablanca – South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries is poised to secure a strategic deal to operate the new shipyard at Casablanca port, a development expected to reshape the maritime industrial landscape in Africa. The project, which will become the largest shipbuilding and maintenance facility on the continent, represents a major milestone for Morocco’s industrial and maritime ambitions, combining advanced technology, local expertise, and strategic economic positioning.

According to sources familiar with the process, HD Hyundai is leading the selection for the international operator of the Casablanca shipyard, benefiting from a comprehensive proposal that emphasizes technical excellence and financial robustness. The Moroccan Ports Agency is completing the final stages of evaluation, and an official announcement is expected in the coming weeks. The international competition for the project is limited, reflecting Morocco’s preference for an operator with proven global experience in managing large-scale shipyards.

The shipyard spans approximately 210,000 square meters and features state-of-the-art infrastructure. This includes a dry dock nearly 244 meters long, a massive lifting platform capable of handling vessels of up to 9,000 tons, industrial quays, and advanced technical facilities. Such equipment enables the yard to provide a full range of services, including construction, repair, maintenance, modernization, and logistical support for both commercial and military vessels. The yard will also offer comprehensive MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) services, positioning Casablanca as a hub for high-value maritime operations in the region.

The project is being developed through a consortium combining HD Hyundai’s global shipbuilding expertise with Moroccan engineering firm Somagec’s local knowledge of infrastructure and regulatory conditions. This partnership reflects Morocco’s strategic approach of prioritizing technology transfer and industrial know-how alongside financial investment. By leveraging Hyundai’s experience, the project is expected to train Moroccan professionals, enhance local industrial capabilities, and increase the competitiveness of the national workforce in heavy industries.

Economically, the shipyard is projected to generate significant benefits. Analysts estimate it will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, reduce the cost of maintaining Morocco’s naval and commercial fleets, and attract international vessels that previously relied on ports in Southern Europe or Asia for repair and maintenance. The project is also expected to stimulate related sectors such as metallurgy, logistics, engineering, and vocational training, creating a broader industrial ecosystem around the port.

Strategically, the shipyard strengthens Morocco’s autonomy in maritime operations. The facility will enhance the kingdom’s ability to service and modernize its naval and commercial fleets locally, reducing reliance on foreign ports and improving operational readiness. Experts note that the shipyard’s strategic value is heightened by geopolitical developments in the Western Mediterranean and the Atlantic, where maritime security and fleet modernization are increasingly critical.

HD Hyundai’s interest in the Casablanca project aligns with the company’s broader global expansion strategy. The firm operates or partners with shipyards in the Philippines, Vietnam, and India, focusing on environmentally friendly ship technologies, advanced industrial operations, and cost-efficient production. The Casablanca yard will serve as a fourth strategic base, allowing Hyundai to diversify its production network and establish an industrial presence in Africa for the first time.

The project has attracted international attention. European business media, including Spain’s El Economista, have highlighted the potential of the Casablanca shipyard to “redraw the map of maritime industry in the region,” positioning Morocco as a competitor to southern European yards, including Spain’s state-owned Navantia. Morocco has invested around $300 million in developing the yard, which spans an area equivalent to roughly thirty football fields.

Beyond the economic dimension, the project reinforces Morocco’s industrial and technological sovereignty, providing long-term infrastructure to support both the commercial and defense maritime sectors. By establishing Casablanca as a regional hub for shipbuilding and maintenance, the project enhances Morocco’s strategic leverage, regional connectivity, and attractiveness to foreign industrial partners.

With HD Hyundai expected to operate the yard for up to 30 years, the project signals a new era of advanced maritime industrial development in Morocco. It represents a decisive step in transforming the kingdom into a regional hub for heavy maritime industries, bridging Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, and demonstrating the growing international confidence in Morocco’s industrial and investment environment.