Morocco has eliminated Spanish manufacturer Talgo from the initial phase of a significant contract to acquire 150 trains, which the nation aims to have operational ahead of the 2030 World Cup, an event it is co-hosting with Spain and Portugal. Reports from Spanish media indicate that Morocco will now consider proposals from CAF and Hyundai Rotem. French company Alstom, which recently secured a deal for 18 high-speed units for the same infrastructure, has also been excluded from this phase. Alongside Alstom, Chinese rolling stock manufacturer CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co. and Talgo had been awarded parts of the Moroccan contract. This extensive agreement involves a total of 168 trains, including intercity, rapid commuter, and regional express trains, as well as 18 high-speed trains, with an estimated value of around 1.8 billion euros. The Chinese firm had bid for the TNR and RER sub-lots, while Talgo had submitted proposals for 40 intercity trains and the 18 high-speed trains. With the exclusion of these manufacturers, CAF from Guipuzcoa and South Korea's Hyundai Rotem remain as the contenders to supply Morocco's national railway operator, ONCF, with intercity, TNR, and RER trains. Alstom, which will provide 18 high-speed trains as part of one of the four lots in the ONCF contract for 168 trains, is no longer competing for the remaining lots that include 40 intercity trains, 60 rapid shuttle trains (TNR), and 50 RER trains. The ONCF contract includes two additional mandatory components beyond the train acquisitions. Winning manufacturers will also secure a 20-year maintenance agreement and must achieve a local integration rate based on the number of trains they supply. Once the specifications are finalized, ONCF will issue a call for tenders to the selected manufacturers, who will then have a month to submit their best offers.
