Spain's Talgo is positioned as an expert candidate for Morocco's railway ecosystem
Within the framework of the extension of the high-speed line to Marrakech and Agadir, which is a current topic, one of the serious contenders for its realisation is the Spanish factor represented by the company Talgo, which has proved its great experience over the years and has a considerable potential compared to its rivals, both French and Chinese.
The Casablanca-Agadir high-speed line is indeed attracting the interest of several international railway manufacturers, including Talgo, which is expressing its wish to take part in this competition. With its experience in the Avril range of high-speed trains, the Spanish company can benefit from the rapprochement between Morocco and Spain to compete with the major international operators of the domain investing in the Alaouite kingdom.
Candidates such as the French company Alstom, the Asian company China Railway Design Corporation, which has started its preliminary studies for the construction of the Marrakech-Agadir line, and the Korean company Korea National Railway, interested in the part of the project between Kenitra and Marrakech, are important competitors of the Spanish companies.
However, the current context plays a crucial role that benefits Madrid as it is marked by the co-hosting of the 2030 football World Cup together with Morocco and Portugal. This represents a breeding ground for the consolidation of cooperation between the three countries in various economic fields related to infrastructures, especially the transport sector.
The ambition of the Iberian company Talgo, known for its Avril model high-speed train, has become a reality not only in Spain, but also in France, where Avril models will be used in 2025 in the west of the Hexagon, and in Saudi Arabia, where Talgo high-speed trains have been operating since 2018.
It should be recalled that the meetings between Madrid and Rabat have been an opportunity for Talgo to explore the opportunities offered by Morocco in this vital area of transport. In addition, the company has the support of RENFE to participate in the Kenitra-Agadir high-speed line project.
As envisaged in the Ambition 2023-2025 roadmap, the contract signed by the Moroccan ONCEF and the State aims to develop a rail vehicle factory within the framework of a public-private partnership that can achieve an integration rate of 60%.
The project has three components, the first of which is the purchase of vehicles by offering ONCEF a quantity of 50 to 80 rail vehicles. Subsequent planned tranches can reach up to 100 vehicles. Thus, ONCEF will acquire between 10 and 20 units each year over the period 2025-2035.
In this sense, Talgo expresses its interest in bidding for the different tenders launched by Morocco, starting with the first one for the purchase of trains for suburban and regional services, which will be launched soon.
Alongside France, Germany and China, the great rivals that have their eyes set on Morocco, Spain will participate with its experience in the construction and development of the North African country's railway infrastructure. In addition to extending the conventional railway thanks to the construction of 3,800 additional kilometres, the Spanish company intends to extend the current line (Al Boraq) to Marrakech and Agadir and build a new east-west transversal between Oujda and Rabat.
It should not be overlooked that the relaunch of the tunnel project that physically links Spain with Morocco will strengthen economic cooperation between the two countries in the transport sector, particularly in the railway sector.