Casablanca – A recent report by the Arab Investment and Export Credit Guarantee Corporation highlights the growing importance of Moroccan ports in regional and global maritime networks, placing Tangier Med Port and Port of Casablanca among the most connected ports in the Arab world to international shipping routes. The findings reflect Morocco’s continued efforts to strengthen its maritime infrastructure and position itself as a major logistics gateway linking Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic trade corridor.

The conclusions appear in the institution’s fourth sectoral report for 2025 on maritime transport in Arab countries, released from its headquarters in Kuwait City. The report evaluates 71 Arab ports within the framework of the global liner shipping connectivity index, which measures how effectively ports are integrated into international shipping networks. The global index includes more than 930 ports worldwide.

According to the report, Tangier Med and Casablanca rank among the leading Arab ports in terms of maritime connectivity, alongside major regional hubs such as Jebel Ali Port and Khalifa Port in the United Arab Emirates, Port of Jeddah and Port of Dammam in Saudi Arabia, as well as Port of Alexandria and Port Said in Egypt. Other important ports mentioned in the ranking include Port of Damietta and Port of Salalah in Oman.

The strong performance of Moroccan ports reflects years of investment aimed at modernizing port infrastructure and expanding logistics capacity. In particular, Tangier Med has emerged as one of the largest container ports in the Mediterranean region, handling increasing volumes of international cargo and serving as a strategic transshipment hub connecting global shipping routes.

The report also highlights broader developments in the Arab maritime transport sector. Over the past 23 years, the region has attracted approximately 146 foreign investment projects in maritime transport, with a combined value close to $4 billion. These investments reflect the growing role of ports and shipping services in supporting international trade and economic diversification across Arab economies.

In addition to investment flows, the Arab commercial shipping fleet has also expanded. The number of vessels owned by Arab entities reached around 2,900 ships in 2025, representing a 4 percent increase compared with previous levels. At the same time, the fleet’s carrying capacity rose by 4.6 percent to reach nearly 109 million metric tons of deadweight tonnage. This capacity accounts for roughly 5 percent of global maritime transport activity.

Regional cooperation is another feature highlighted in the report. Six Arab countries—Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, and Egypt—have jointly invested in 11 maritime transport projects, with total investment exceeding $218 million. These initiatives aim to strengthen maritime infrastructure, improve port services, and enhance integration within regional trade networks.

Cargo flows through Arab ports also illustrate the scale of maritime activity in the region. In 2023, Arab ports handled more than 423 million metric tons of goods. Four countries—Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—accounted for approximately 58 percent of that total, reflecting their central role in regional logistics and trade operations.

Meanwhile, the volume of cargo loaded through Arab ports during the same year reached approximately 1.6 billion metric tons, representing about 14 percent of global maritime shipments. Oil shipments continue to dominate this trade, accounting for about 58 percent of the total cargo transported through these ports.

Container activity has also shown strong growth in recent years. Ten major Arab ports recorded a 19 percent increase in container handling in 2023 compared with 2019, reaching roughly 59 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). This increase highlights the rapid development of logistics infrastructure and the rising importance of containerized trade in the region.

The report further indicates that the average ranking of Arab countries in the global liner shipping connectivity index improved during the fourth quarter of 2024. Morocco ranked first among Arab countries in the index, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. This improvement reflects ongoing efforts by these countries to modernize ports, expand shipping services, and strengthen their integration into global supply chains.

Trade in maritime transport services has also expanded. According to the report, the external trade of 11 Arab countries in maritime transport services grew by 12 percent in 2024, exceeding $53 billion. This figure represents about one quarter of total Arab trade in transport services.

The growth was driven by a 14 percent increase in exports of maritime transport services, which reached approximately $9 billion, while imports rose by 13 percent to around $45 billion during the same year.

The findings highlight the growing importance of maritime infrastructure in the Arab region’s economic development and integration into global trade networks. For Morocco, the strong performance of Tangier Med Port and Port of Casablanca reinforces the country’s ambition to position itself as a key logistics hub linking Europe, Africa, and major international maritime routes.